In Madhya Pradesh, peaceful polling is underway in the nine parliamentary seats of Vindhya and Mahakaushal regions under the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state.

More than 25 per cent polling was reported in the first five hours of the polling. Over 24 percent votes were cast in Chindwara segment in the initial three hours.

No untoward incident has been reported from any part of the state so far. The Lok Sabha seats going to the polls today are Rewa, Stana, Shahdol, Sidhi, Balaghat, Mandla, Chindwara, Jabalpur and Hoshangabad. More than one crore 44 lakh voters will decide the political fate of 118 candidates in the polling. Over 16 thousand polling booths have been set up.

Among prominent candidates whose political fate will be decided today are union minister Kamalnath, former union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste, Ajay Singh, Rakesh Singh and Vivek Tankha. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the polling. 107 companies of central armed police force and 48 companies of special armed force have been deployed.

Our correspondent reporting from Hoshangabad parliamentary segment says in urban areas of Hoshangabad, voters are exercising their franchise enthusiastically. People are coming along with their family members to cast their vote. At most of the booths, voters need not to wait as the polling process is very smooth.

In Hoshangabad several model polling booths have been set up where proper arrangements of shed, drinking water, coolers, chairs and other basic necessities have been made. Banners welcoming voters have also been put up. Voters have all the praise for these booths.