Since 1996, India’s general elections—which occur every five years in sequential phases by regions carefully staggered by the Election Commission of India—have been held between April and May. But as this year’s election season fast approaches, electoral officials across the country are grappling with the challenge of safeguarding against extreme heat as voters head to the polls later this month. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The preparations come after India’s Meteorological Department, or the IMD, last week forecasted that the majority of the country will experience harsh and arid conditions from April to June, with a high probability of “above normal” heat waves lasting 10 to 20 days, rather than the usual span of four to eight days.