Scottish vote on independence from Britain starts

People in Scotland began voting on Thurday on whether the country should stay in United Kingdom or become independent. Voters will answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’, to the referendum question-- ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ According to media reports, people started arriving as soon as the polling boots opened at 6 am GMT.

It the Scots vote ‘yes’, it would end a union dating back 300 years. It could also raise serious questions about Britain’s status on the international stage and could force Prime Minister David Cameron to resign. Cameron issued a plea to Scots to vote in the favour of ‘staying in our home’ and warned that a break-up could result in ‘serious economic uncertainty’.

The voting is being closely watched around the world, with the world financial markets in a volatile state over the uncertainty of the outcome. The White House also released a statement from President Barack Obama, saying that it hoped that the United Kingdom stayed ‘strong, robust and united.'

Read: The essential guide to Scotland's vote on independence

With around 97 per cent of the electorate (around 4.3 million people) registered to vote, a historically high turnout is expected. The electorate was expanded to include thousands of 16 and 17 year olds. The result is expected on Friday morning.

Image: A boy waves the Scotland flag as around 45 lakh people vote on the country's independence on Thursday. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images