NEW DELHI: The world's largest democratic exercise began on Thursday as crores of Indians came out to vote to elect 91 Lok Sabha members in the first of seven-phased general elections. The 91 Lok Sabha constituencies in the first phase, spread across 18 states and two union territories, have more than 14 crore voters.

About 63.69 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 6 pm in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh that went to polls in the first phase. Polling was held on Thursday in Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnore, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

Saharanpur recorded maximum voter turnout at 70.68 per cent, while the least turnout was reported for Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat where it stood at 57.60 per cent.

The polling percentage in Meerut and Baghpat stood at 63 around 63.90 per cents respectively. The voting percentage in Kairana was 62.10 percent, Muzaffarnagar 65.66 percent, Bijnor 65.40 per cent and 60.15 per cent in Gautam Buddha Nagar.

53% turnout in Ist phase in Bihar

Around 53 per cent voting was recorded in the four Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar that went to polls in the first phase.

Of the 70 lakh people, around 53 per cent voted by the end of the day in the Maoist-affected districts of Gaya, Nawada and Jamui in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state.

At more than half a dozen villages in Gaya, Jamui and Nawada, people boycotted elections protesting lack of roads, schools and health centres.

Votes for all 543 seats would be counted on May 23 after end of the seven-phase polling on May 19. An estimated 1.5 crore young voters in the age group of 18-19 years would vote for the first time across the seven phases.

In the last general elections in 2014, more than 55 crore Indians had voted (66.3 per cent) with the BJP emerging victorious with little over 30 per cent votes, giving a five-year mandate to a government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(With inputs from agencies)