国际英语新闻：Turnout rate attains 60% in final round of Indian general elections

NEW DELHI, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The turnout rate at the polling in the fifth and final phase of Indian general elections Wednesday was estimated at nearly 60 percent, said election commission official.

    Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla told the media Wednesday evening the overall turnout of voters in the final phase of the polls, in which some 110 million people were eligible to vote, was 59 to 60 percent.

Voters show their identity cards before casting their vote at a polling booth in Amritsar, India, on May 13, 2009. India voted in the final phase of its marathon five-phase general elections Wednesday with 107 million voters eligible to exercise their franchise.

One person was killed during skirmishes among supporters of different political parties in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, said police.

    Greatly influenced by the conflict in Sri Lanka, the elections in Tamil Nadu decided 39 seats at the Lok Sabha or lower house of parliament, playing a key swing role in the tight race.

Voters show their identity cards before casting their votes at a polling booth in Bareilly, India, on May 13, 2009

The turnout rate in the southern state was estimated at 60 percent, said election commission officials.

    In the eastern state of West Bengal, one local leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist was killed by supporters of a rival party, said police.

    The counting of the votes will start on May 16 and a new parliament is expected to be constituted by June 2.