India election: Excitement as voting ends

Polls have closed on the final day of voting in India's marathon election, with the first exit polls predicting early gains for the opposition BJP.

The election began on 7 April and has been held in nine phases for security and logistical reasons. With 814 million eligible voters, it is the world's biggest exercise in democracy.

The BBC's Babita Sharma in Delhi said that "exit poll hysteria" had already begun, but that it would not be until Friday - results day - that a true picture of the how the Indian electorate had voted would emerge.