New Delhi, July 2 -- Voters in Alergia are casting ballots Thursday in parliamentary elections overshadowed by cost-of-living concerns and bans on candidates challenging the government.

Nearly 25 million voters across Africa's largest country by territory are choosing among 1,235 candidates for 407 seats with five-year terms in the lower house of Parliament.

Turnout is a big concern after voters largely snubbed campaign events. The government declared Thursday a paid national holiday to encourage turnout.

Rather than electoral politics, many people seem more concerned with everyday problems such as purchasing power and the decline of public services against a backdrop of shrinking political, media and union freedoms.

Many soccer-obses...