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Indians vote in fourth phase of elections

  • Story Highlights
  • Indians voting in marathon general election to choose a new federal government
  • New Delhi and West Bengal are among eight states in penultimate round of polling
  • There are over 94 million registered voters for fourth round that ends on May 13
  • India has about 714 million voters, up by 43 million since the last elections in 2004
By Harmeet Shah Singh
CNN
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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Indians were voting Thursday in the fourth phase of a marathon general election to choose a new federal government.

India's capital, New Delhi, and communist-ruled West Bengal were among eight states participating in the penultimate round of polling.

Srinagar -- capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, which has been hit by anti-poll protests -- was one of the 85 boroughs across the country where voting was being held.

There are more than 94 million registered voters for the fourth round of general elections that end on May 13, election authorities say. The vote count is scheduled for May 16.

Overall, India has about 714 million voters, up by 43 million since the last general elections in 2004, which brought to power a communist-backed coalition led by the Congress party.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government lost the support of the left parties last year for signing a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States. Nonetheless, it survived with the backing of a powerful regional grouping.

Regional parties play key role in forming the government of India, where the Congress party of Italian-born Sonia Gandhi and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party are main rivals.

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