New Delhi  - The world's most biggest democratic exercise began early Thursday as voters started trickling into booths in 124 constituencies across India, amid tight security in the first phase of month-long staggered general elections.

The first round of voting is being held in 15 states and two federally administered territories.

Thousands of security personnel have been deployed to maintain peace as many of the constituencies in Thursday's balloting are located in the volatile Maoist belt of central, southern and eastern India, the restive north-east and militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir.

Extra forces have also been deployed in Kandhamal district of Orissa, which saw communal violence between Hindus and Christians in 2008.

There are 1,715 candidates contesting in the first phase, including 122 women.

Voting was being done through electronic voting machines and electoral rolls with photographs were being used to identify voters.

More than 300,000 machines were being used Thursday in the first phase.

The states where elections are being held Thursday are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

The federally administered territories are the Andaman and Nicobar islands and Lakshwadeep.

The next phase of voting is scheduled for April 23, followed by April 30, May 7 and May 13.

The results are expected on May 16.

The main contenders in the 2009 elections are the incumbent Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the opposition Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Analysts are predicting yet another hung Parliament, where no single party will gain a majority, followed by formation of a coalition government.

The leader of the single largest party is usually invited to form the new government and has to prove the support of a majority of Lok Sabha members. (dpa)