Mumbai, infamous for its voter apathy, stepped out to exercise its franchise on Wednesday.
Election day was preceded by calls from concerned citizens' groups appealing for increased voter participation, and offices across the state declaring a holiday to enable employees to cast their vote. The Election Commission scheduled the polling midweek, in a bid to boost voting, and many shops, restaurants and establishments offered discounts to customers on showing the inked finger.
As Maximum City stepped out to vote, we bring you a collection of photographs.
IMAGE: An auto-rickshaw kept on election duty to ferry physically disabled voters in Koparkhairne, Navi Mumbai.
Photograph: Hemant Shivsharan / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Deepak Pednekar and Meena Pednekar, posing with inked finger at Shree suryodaya Dahisar East.
Photograph: Harish Kotian / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Shubdha Narsale smiling for a photograph after voting at Lokhandwala, Kandivali east, Mumbai.
Photograph: Ashish Narsale / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Volunteers helping voters at Lokhandwala, Kandivali east, Mumbai.
Photograph: Ashish Narsale / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Voters looking for their polling booth slips at Lokhandwala, Kandivali east, Mumbai.
Photograph: Ashish Narsale / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Jai Maharashtra... Jai Hind, voters chant as they show their inked fingers.
Photograph: Ronjita Kulkarni / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Rajesh Nangia, Old Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West.
Photograph: Rediff.com
IMAGE: Devyani Ozarde, Lokhandwala east, Andheri West.
Photograph: Devyani Ozarde / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Ashwini and Akshaya Karande, mother and daughter. Akshaya is voting for the first time
Photograph: Ronjita Kulkarni / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Mumbai resident Rohit Varma. Photograph: Rohit Varma
IMAGE: Selfie after you vote!
Photograph: Hemant Shivsharan / Rediff.com
IMAGE: Smita Mehta, 63, votes at Jamnabai Narsee School in Juhu, Mumbai.
Photograph: Hitesh Harsinghani/Rediff.com
IMAGE: An elderly couple in Dahanukarwadi, Kandivali west, show their inked finger.
Photograph: Mahipal Soni/Rediff.com
IMAGE: A family shows off their inked finger.
IMAGE: Election volunteers wait for voters at Pali Naka, Bandra west.
IMAGE: A family takes a selfie outside Jamnabai Narsee School in Juhu.
Photograph: Hitesh Harsinghani/Rediff.com
IMAGE: An election help desk near KB Bhabha hospital, Bandra west.
IMAGE: Chetankumar and Mamta Pathak show their inked marked fingers.
IMAGE: The Karnani family votes in Santacruz, Mumbai.
IMAGE: Jaya and Vijay Chordiya after voting in Goregaon East.
IMAGE: Shailendra Shirke from Thane shows his inked marked finger. Photograph: Shailendra Shirke
IMAGE: Voter Sourabh Dey after voting at Andheri West for Versova assembly constituency. Photograph: Sourabh Dey
IMAGE: Amruta from Goregaon East.
IMAGE: Excellent and most efficient arrangement ever for casting vote at WP Polling centre! Loved the experience and proudly cast our votes! Hail Democracy!, says Ninad Chhaya after voting with his wife.
IMAGE: A polling booth in IC colony, Borivali West.
Photograph: Maria Fernandez/Rediff.com
IMAGE: A woman voter on wheelchair shows her inked finger.
Photograph: Maria Fernandez/Rediff.com
IMAGE: A policeman at IC Colony, Borivali west, has exercised his franchise.
Photograph: Maria Fernandez/Rediff.com
IMAGE: Sawant, age 84, from Shree Suryodaya in Dahisar East urges everyone to vote for a better India.
IMAGE: Election Commission officials at a slip issuing centre.
Photograph: Prasanna Zore/Rediff.com
IMAGE: Voters enquire about their voting slips in Malad West.
Photograph: Prasanna Zore/Rediff.com
IMAGE: Youths show their inked fingers after voting for the first time at Dadar West.
Photograph: Sahil Salvi for Rediff.comPhotographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com and Anant Salvi/ Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Mahipal Soni/Rediff.com