The final phase of voting in India's protracted general election is underway, 10 weeks after the counry's Hindu nationalist-led government took power.

Voting is taking place in the remote Himalayan constituencies, Ladakh and Mandi

Polling is taking place in two remote and often snowbound Himalayan constituencies, Ladakh and Mandi, which were not able to vote earlier because of severe winter weather.

All the other results have long since been declared, but the perilously low parliamentary majority of the governing alliance means the results will be keenly awaited.

The new government has weathered a vote of confidence, introduced its first budget and taken the dramatic step of staging nuclear weapons tests.

Himalayan ballots

Ladakh is often described as a high altitude desert with a dramatic moonscape of barren mountain ranges punctuated by hilltop Buddhist temples.

Many of the outlying valleys are inaccessible throughout the long winter.

In religion, language and lifestyle Ladakh has more in common with Tibet and Bhutan than with the rest of India.

A ceasefire line with Pakistan runs through the area, so voters there have more interest than most in the consequences of last month's nuclear tests.

Also voting is the neighbouring constituency of Mandi; site of some of the most remote and magical of the Himalayan mountain valleys.

And there is a by-election for a Punjab constituency - the winner refused to take his seat in parliament because he wasn't given the ministerial post which he said he'd been promised.