Eye on London mayoral election as Britons vote on 'Super Thursday'

Voters are heading for polls booths in a series of elections across the UK on what has been dubbed "Super Thursday", but attention is most focused on a mayoral joust which could see the British capital get its first Muslim Mayor.

Elections are taking place for the Scottish parliament, National Assembly of Wales, the Northern Ireland assembly and for 124 councils in England, BBC reported.

New mayors will be elected in London, Bristol, Liverpool and Salford, with parliamentary by-elections in Ogmore and Sheffield Brightside.

In London, Labour's Sadiq Khan, 45, is seen as having an edge over the Conservative Zac Goldsmith and Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon, according to media reports.

The son of working-class Pakistani immigrants, Khan began his career as a human-rights lawyer and later entered Parliament. He quickly rose to become a minister in Gordon Brown's government.

Polling stations across the country opened at 7.00 a.m., with voting allowed until 10.00 p.m.

Counting will take place throughout Friday with the majority of results declared on the day.

However, some English council results will not be announced until Saturday while the final result of the Northern Irish election is not expected until Sunday.

--IANS

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