'We were always here': India's poll body chief on 'laapata gentlemen' memes on social media

India's Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Monday reacted to recent social media memes that referred to election commissioners as "laapata gentlemen", and reassured the public, stating, "We were always here, never went missing."

He humorously added, "Now memes can say the 'laapata gentlemen' are back," indicating that the election commissioners have been actively engaged throughout the process, reports Times of India.

Kumar made the comment while addressing a press briefing ahead of counting votes for the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in India. 

The seven-phase vote - the world's largest - began on 19 April and was held in scorching summer heat in many parts of the country, with temperatures rising to nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122°F) in some north and northwestern regions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance is projected to win a big majority, TV exit polls said on Saturday, ahead of the counting on Tuesday.

The chief election commissioner also announced that India set a new global record during this year's Lok Sabha elections, with an astounding 64.2 crore voters participating, including 31.2 crore women.

In his press briefing, Kumar highlighted the massive logistical undertaking involved in conducting the world's largest electoral exercise. 

He revealed that over 68,000 monitoring teams were deployed, and an impressive 1.5 crore polling and security personnel worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth execution of the elections.