India election starts final phase（打印版）

India has entered the final phase of its marathon general election, with 107m voters eligible（有资格的，合格的）to cast ballots.（不记名票）

Voting is taking place in 86 constituencies（选区） across seven states, including crucial Tamil Nadu in the south and most parts of Calcutta.

The main fight is between the ruling Congress party-led alliance and parties led by the BJP, although there is a host of regional opposition.

Results are announced on 16 May and an outright（率直的，完全的，总共的） majority for any is unlikely.

Voters in the states of Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are casting ballots on Wednesday, the final day of voting.

Polls are also being held in the federally-administered territories of Chandigarh and Pondicherry.

All 39 constituencies in the southern state of Tamil Nadu as well as Baramullah and Ladakh in Indian-administered Kashmir are voting.

Tamil Nadu - where voters tend to hand big victories to one of the state's two main parties or the other - is expected to play a crucial role in the formation of the government in the coalition（结合，合并，联合） talks that are almost certain follow the election.

In Jammu and Kashmir, some separatist（分离主义者）groups have called for a boycott （抵制，拒绝参加）of the elections and a two-day strike has begun in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.

A former separatist and head of a faction（派别，派系，阵营）of the regional People's Conference party, Sajjad Lone, has broken ranks to stand for election from Baramullah.

The BBC's Altaf Hussain in Srinagar says shops, offices and banks are closed in most parts of the valley and transport is suspended.（被暂时搁置的）

A large number of police and paramilitary troops have been deployed in the capital, Srinagar, to prevent anti-election demonstrations, our correspondent says.

Although long queues of voters were seen at some polling centres in Srinagar last week, the overall turnout was low.

Among the other candidates facing the electorate on Wednesday are Varun Gandhi and Mohammad Azharrudin.

Mr Gandhi, who has been accused of making a controversial anti-Muslim speech, is standing for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh.

Ex-cricketer Azharruddin stands for Congress in Moradabad in the same state.

The first round of the general election on 16 April was marred by Maoist attacks in eastern and central India which killed at least 17 people. Later rounds were less violent.

About two million security personnel（保安人员） are being deployed（展开，配置，部署） for the five-phase vote.

The new parliament has to be constituted by 2 June. (本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

India election starts final phase（在线收听）