(17 Apr 09 - RV) In India, tens of millions of people went to the polls yesterday
at the first stage of the country’s month-long general elections. India's Election
Commission estimated that preliminary voter turnout was 58-62 percent. The government
deployed hundreds of thousands of police to protect more than 140 million people who
could vote on Thursday in polls that covered some of India's poorest states. However,
attacks by Maoist rebels have disrupted voting in some states, leaving at least 17
people dead. Fr. Babu Joseph of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India says that
despite this, the elections have been peaceful…