New Delhi: Polling began in Parliament and state Assemblies for the 12th Presidential election on July 15 morning in which eminent missile technologist A P J Abdul Kalam and Indian National Army (INA) veteran Capt Lakshmi Sahgal are locked in a straight contest.

The polling started at 1000 hours and would continue till 1700 hours.

Counting of votes would take place on July 18.

The election is a one-sided affair where the victory of Kalam was a mere formality.

Seventy-one-year-old Kalam, a hero of the Pokhran nuclear tests and for long associated with the country's space programme, emerged as the dark horse at the last minute when National Democratic Alliance (NDA) chose him as its nominee abandoning former Maharashtra Governor P C Alexander for the post.

He was later adopted by the entire political spectrum barring the Left, which fielded 87-year-old Sahgal, who had kept herself away from politics and social life and was leading a quiet life in Kanpur.

Sahgal is the first woman to contest the Presidential election.

President K R Narayanan is retiring on July 24.

PTI