Polling is under way in the fourth stage of India's marathon five phase general election with the capital, Delhi, one of the key battlegrounds.
Millions of voters in 85 constituencies across seven states and in Delhi are casting ballots on Thursday.
Neither the ruling Congress nor main opposition BJP are expected to win outright and other parties could play a key role after counting on 16 May.
The fourth phase voting has seen no major incidents of violence so far.
However, clashes in West Bengal have left six people injured.
Early turnout in most of the areas voting was reported to be fairly strong.
Shutdown
Delhi has all seven seats up for grabs on Thursday. Congress won six of them last time.
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in the suburb of Gurgaon says that many of the bankers and IT staff who work there have not registered to vote, but villagers queued up early at booths.
Initial reports from Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir, were of deserted streets amid an election boycott call by separatists who argue that the vote legitimises Indian rule.
The call was generally being heeded, although the BBC's Altaf Hussain said that at one polling booth in the Repora area voting was very brisk and the atmosphere almost festive.
There had been a two-day shutdown ahead of the vote in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.
However, in state elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year many voters defied a boycott call and cast ballots in unexpectedly large numbers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did well in Rajasthan in 2004's general election, winning 21 of the 25 seats but analysts say that in a tight battle nationwide the switch of even a few seats could be crucial in the coalition talks that are sure to follow the election.
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in the suburb of Gurgaon says that many of the bankers and IT staff who work there have not registered to vote, but villagers queued up early at booths.
Initial reports from Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir, were of deserted streets amid an election boycott call by separatists who argue that the vote legitimises Indian rule.
The call was generally being heeded, although the BBC's Altaf Hussain said that at one polling booth in the Repora area voting was very brisk and the atmosphere almost festive.
There had been a two-day shutdown ahead of the vote in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.
However, in state elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year many voters defied a boycott call and cast ballots in unexpectedly large numbers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did well in Rajasthan in 2004's general election, winning 21 of the 25 seats but analysts say that in a tight battle nationwide the switch of even a few seats could be crucial in the coalition talks that are sure to follow the election.
Millions of voters in 85 constituencies across seven states and in Delhi are casting ballots on Thursday.
Neither the ruling Congress nor main opposition BJP are expected to win outright and other parties could play a key role after counting on 16 May.
The fourth phase voting has seen no major incidents of violence so far.
However, clashes in West Bengal have left six people injured.
Early turnout in most of the areas voting was reported to be fairly strong.
Shutdown
Delhi has all seven seats up for grabs on Thursday. Congress won six of them last time.
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in the suburb of Gurgaon says that many of the bankers and IT staff who work there have not registered to vote, but villagers queued up early at booths.
Initial reports from Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir, were of deserted streets amid an election boycott call by separatists who argue that the vote legitimises Indian rule.
The call was generally being heeded, although the BBC's Altaf Hussain said that at one polling booth in the Repora area voting was very brisk and the atmosphere almost festive.
There had been a two-day shutdown ahead of the vote in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.
However, in state elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year many voters defied a boycott call and cast ballots in unexpectedly large numbers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did well in Rajasthan in 2004's general election, winning 21 of the 25 seats but analysts say that in a tight battle nationwide the switch of even a few seats could be crucial in the coalition talks that are sure to follow the election.
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in the suburb of Gurgaon says that many of the bankers and IT staff who work there have not registered to vote, but villagers queued up early at booths.
Initial reports from Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir, were of deserted streets amid an election boycott call by separatists who argue that the vote legitimises Indian rule.
The call was generally being heeded, although the BBC's Altaf Hussain said that at one polling booth in the Repora area voting was very brisk and the atmosphere almost festive.
There had been a two-day shutdown ahead of the vote in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.
However, in state elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year many voters defied a boycott call and cast ballots in unexpectedly large numbers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did well in Rajasthan in 2004's general election, winning 21 of the 25 seats but analysts say that in a tight battle nationwide the switch of even a few seats could be crucial in the coalition talks that are sure to follow the election.
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