Counting of votes begins for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Team Udayavani, Jun 4, 2024, 8:11 AM IST

Representative image (File Photo)

New Delhi: After six weeks of voting, the counting of votes for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has started with tight security. Voting happened from April 19 to June 1 for 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of Parliament. A party or coalition needs 272 seats to form the government.

This election was the second-longest since India’s first one in 1951-52. Early trends are expected within an hour of counting, with final results likely by afternoon. The counting of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes will begin 30 minutes after the postal ballots.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aims to win 370 seats on its own, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) targeting 400 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the BJP’s campaign, participating in over 200 public meetings, rallies, and roadshows.

The Congress, facing losses and defections, is part of the Opposition group called INDIA, which is competing against the BJP and its NDA alliance. The INDIA alliance held joint rallies with leaders from various opposition parties.

Results for the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha assembly elections, as well as by-elections for 25 assembly constituencies, will also be announced on Tuesday.

BJP Leads in Postal Votes Counting

Tumkur, Kolar, and Mysore-Kodagu: Postal vote counting has begun across the country, including Karnataka constituencies like Tumkur, Kolar, and Mysore-Kodagu.

In the Mysore-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency, the BJP has taken an early lead in postal votes. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar is leading, while Congress candidate M. Lakshman is trailing.

In Bagalkot, the BJP candidate is leading in postal votes, while H.D. Kumaraswamy has gained an early lead in Mandya.

In the Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency, Kota Srinivas Poojary has maintained an early lead in postal votes. In Dakshina Kannada, Brijesh Chowta is leading.

Will Exit Polls be Right?

Most exit polls have predicted that the NDA coalition will return to power. However, the ‘INDIA Alliance’ has expressed confidence in the outcome, believing they will win at least 295 seats, despite their skepticism about the exit polls.