60% voter turnout in first phase of India polls

Nearly 60% voter turnout was recorded till 5pm in first phase of voting for the 18th Lok Sabha elections held in 21 states and Union territories on Friday. 

Seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry went to polls.

More than 16.63 crore voters, which include over 8 crore men and women each, were expected to cast their votes at nearly 2 lakh polling stations.

The general elections to elect 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases, from 19 April to 1 June. The results will be announced on 4 June.