World Bulletin / News Desk 

Turkey’s prime minister has cast his vote as high-profile figures join millions of Turkish citizens going to the polls in the country’s 25th general election.

Ahmet Davutoglu voted in Konya, central Turkey – his home province – early on Sunday morning.

Voting began at 8.00 a.m. (0600GMT).

More than 53.7 million Turks are eligible to vote in a poll to elect 550 deputies to the Grand National Assembly.

Co-chair of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party, Selahattin Demirtas, also cast his vote in Istanbul.

Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan cast his vote at a polling station in Ankara. He told reporters: "In democratic systems, what the people says goes. Today the people will speak."

Energy Minister Taner Yildiz voted in central Kayseri province where he said he believed that “stability will be maintained” after the contest.

Meanwhile, Turkey's Chief of General Staff Necdet Ozel has cast his ballot in Ankara.

A total of 174,240 polling stations will be open until 5.00 p.m. local time (1500 GMT). Nearly a million Turks living abroad have already cast their ballots at 122 embassies and consulates.