64 % polling in Uttar Pradesh, 53 per cent in Bihar in first phase

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.