Millions of Indians begin voting

Millions of Indians began voting in the first phase of the Indian parliamentary elections on 16 April 2009. In the first of five phases of the national election, polls opened in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkand, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. The Indian government has implemented a series of additional security measures for the election because Maoist and separatist rebels in several of the states had threatened to disrupt the voting. Despite the increased security, a number of violent incidents were reported as voters cast their ballots. In Bastar, suspected Maoist militants opened fire on a polling station at Mangnar, causing a panic among those lined up to cast their ballots. In Chhattisgarh state a landmine explosion reportedly killed five election team members in the Rajnandgaon district, while a police officer was shot and killed by Maoist guerrillas in Dantewada district. Another landmine explosion ripped through a bus in the state of Jharkand, killing seven security guards who were heading to a polling station in the Latehar district. Voting was also disrupted in the Khuti and Palamau districts of Jharkhand state because of gun battles between Indian forces and Maoist rebels. Jharkhand security officials also stated that three election officials were kidnapped from a polling station in a remote area of the state and were being held at a rebel camp. In Orissa state election monitors reported that Maoist guerrillas broke into four polling stations and damaged several voting machines. Maoist militant groups are also calling for a boycott of the next phase of the general election that is scheduled to be held on 22-23 April.