UK voting ends: As it happened; Conservatives ahead in exit polls

• UK exit polls forecast the ruling Conservatives taking the most seats in parliament.
• In another untoward incident being reported from UK, a Scottish Tory leader has claimed that voters were being forced to turn away from Annan poling station if they did not vote for a particular party. Darlington council has been compelled to reissue ballot papers as 89 ballot papers missed the name of David Hodgson.

Disturbing reports of people being turned away from an Annan polling station by burly blokes if they say they don't support a certain party.

— Ruth Davidson MSP (@RuthDavidsonMSP) May 7, 2015

• In a botched-up ballot at Darlington,names of one or more parliamentary candidates were reportedly omitted, tweeted Britain Elects. Darlington Council Chief confirmed that name of one candidate - David Hodgson (UKIP) had been omitted from the ballot paper in some parts of the seat.

Darlington Council Chief confirms a candidate has been omitted from the ballot paper in some parts of the seat. (via @EchoPeterBarron)

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) May 7, 2015

• However, the Guardian/ICM poll put Labour ahead of the Conservatives by one-point lead. Following which, Lord Ashcroft, former Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, tweeted in favour of the Labour citing the final polls.

All the final polls so far seem to be showing a move towards Labour...

— Lord Ashcroft (@LordAshcroft) May 7, 2015

• Election Forecast UK, that combines data from YouGov, publicly released polls, historical election results, and the UK Census, has come up with its final update as the polling is underway. According to its prediction, there will be no overall majority, but that the Conservatives will be the largest party with 278 seats, while the Labour Party will garner 267 seats.

• In what could hit the turnout, the sunny morning in the UK has given way to a rainy afternoon. Lib Democrat leader Nick Clegg posted a photo of his own on Twitter writing, "Not the best weather on polling day in Sheffield Hallam".

Not the best weather on polling day in Sheffield Hallam but enjoyable being on the doorstep all the same. pic.twitter.com/6uWonIUdrh

— Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) May 7, 2015

• On the election day, another poll predicted one-point lead for the Conservatives. According to the Ipsos-Mori poll, Conservatives remain the winner with 36% votes while the Labour lag at 35%. This poll places the UKIP at the third place with 11% votes.

#GE2015 too close to call: Con 36% Lab 35% UKIP 11% LD 8% Green 5% Others 5% @standardnews http://t.co/ekuZL3itrj pic.twitter.com/pu4VNRBdiU

— Ipsos MORI (@IpsosMORI) May 7, 2015

• According to a Guardian report, the UK shares witnessed a sharp fall on Thursday morning as Britons queued up to cast vote. The FTSE 100 index of top shares recovered a little later in the day. According to financial experts, the markets could experience a mayhem later this month if the next government’s Queen speech was to be rejected, added the Guardian report.

• Unlike his rivals, who voted quiet early, PM David Cameron walking hand-in-hand with wife Samantha, arrived at a polling booth in Witney, Oxfordshire over two hours after the polling began.

Samantha & I voting Conservative this morning, so that everyone can have security whatever stage of life they are at. pic.twitter.com/rYTm0TkCQS

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 7, 2015

• Though, Indian-origin voters have been more in tune with Labour due to its working class and immigrant friendly approach, however the British-born second generation Indians tend to identify more with the Conservatives, says a PTI report. 

• Given the considerable chunk of Indian-origin population in the UK, political parties are competing to woo Indian-origin voters and hence have fielded more such candidates. The Conservatives have fielded the  highest (17) number of Indian-origin candidates, followed by the Labour and the Liberal Democrats which have fielded 14 candidates each.
• The latest poll by YouGov shows the Conservatives winning 21 seats more than the Labour Party, while the SNP replaces the Liberal Democrats as the third largest party by a 17-seat margin. The poll gives the UKIP just 2 seats in contrast to Nigel Farage who claims that the results will prove the opinion polls wrong.

Peter Kellner’s final seat prediction - http://t.co/BMsbPpuVaX pic.twitter.com/TFmg7vFUf0

— YouGov (@YouGov) May 6, 2015

#VoteConservative today - and together, we can secure a brighter future for Britain. https://t.co/t896F6oMoM

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 7, 2015

• Meanwhile, PM David Cameron in his last-ditch effort to sway the voters towards the Tories issued a video message on Twitter in which he has urged the Britons to vote for the Conservatives if they want to save the country's economy from being wrecked by the Labour-SNP government in power.
• Having cast his vote, Ed Miliband took to Twitter to thank his supporters.

"I’m grateful for the support of so many people, and for the work of so many Labour supporters. Today is the day we can change Britain," he tweeted.

• Labour Party leader Ed Miliband along with his wife Justin Thornston too were the early voters as they cast their vote in Doncaster.

I’ve just voted in Doncaster. Today isn’t a day to vote simply for Labour but to vote for yourself & for your family pic.twitter.com/SyhjnkOcls

— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) May 7, 2015

I can't tell you who I voted for! #VoteUKIP #GE2015 #IVoted pic.twitter.com/8SQgJ1nbPJ

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 7, 2015

Just taking a moment to read the Express this morning! pic.twitter.com/crTiwW4rBQ

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 7, 2015

• UKIP leader Nigel Farage wearing a red rose on his chest and a big confident smile on his lips was among the early voters as he cast his vote at Ramsgate polling booth within half an hour of the start of the voting.
• Some of the voters will get three ballot papers to cast their votes as besides general and local elections, there are six mayoral elections underway in Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Torbay and Copeland. 
• Besides general elections, votes will be cast for 9,000 council seats being contested across 279 English local authorities (not in London).
• About 50 million people are registered to vote in what is being called as the most unpredictable election in the country's history.
• Polling began at 7 am (local time) at more than 50, 000 polling stations across the country for elections of a total of 650 Westminster MPs. The voting will go on till 22:00 pm (local time).