Five assemblies gear up for counting after high-stakes polling

New Delhi: The electoral verdict for five assemblies in the country is set to be announced on Monday, with votes cast on April 9, April 23, and April 29 across four states and one Union Territory being counted. The elections marked a riveting contest between major political fronts vying for power, while emerging parties challenged existing dynamics.

The exercise will begin at 8 am at the counting centres, starting with the postal ballots, and will have a three-tier security system. First, the Election Commission has introduced a QR code-based Photo Identity Card system through ECINET to prevent unauthorised entry into counting centres.

In Kerala, buoyed by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and recent local body elections, the Congress-led UDF is hoping to oust the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has been in power for two terms, while the BJP-led NDA is attempting to gain a foothold in the state with a bipolar polity.

A defeat for the LDF would also mark the first time since the 1960s that Left parties are not in power in any Indian state.

A total of 883 candidates contested the election for 140 seats in the state. There are 140 counting centres across 43 locations.

Officials said that 15,464 personnel have been deployed for the exercise, comprising 140 returning officers, 1,340 additional returning officers, 4,208 micro observers, 4,208 counting supervisors, and 5,563 counting assistants.

As many as 25 companies of central forces have been deployed alongside state police personnel to guard the counting centres.

The BJP-led NDA, although not in contention to form the government, views the election as crucial to expanding its footprint in Kerala after failing to win any seats in 2021.

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is hoping for a second consecutive term after contesting in a changed political arena, as, apart from its main rival, AIADMK, there were new entrants like actor-politician Vijay's TVK and Tamil nationalist Seeman's NTK.

All arrangements are in place, including a comprehensive three-tier security plan, for counting of votes on May 4 at the 62 designated counting centres across the state, Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, Archana Patnaik said.

Approximately 1.25 lakh personnel, who include officials and micro-observers on vote-counting duty and police, have been deployed.

As many as 234 counting halls have been arranged for EVMs. 

The Election Commission has deputed 234 Counting Observers, one for each Assembly constituency, to oversee the counting proceedings.

Votes will be counted across 77 centres for 293 assembly seats in West Bengal, which has witnessed unprecedented security deployment this time and an acrimony-filled run-up to the result day, with both the ruling TMC and opposition BJP expressing apprehensions of vote manipulation.

The two-phase polls in the state ended on April 29, with its highest-ever voter turnout of 92.47 per cent since Independence.

The election was countermanded in one constituency - Falta - in South 24 Parganas district due to “severe electoral offences" and fresh polls will be held there on May 21.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) is hoping to win its fourth consecutive term by overcoming a spirited challenge from the main opposition BJP, while the CPI(M) and the Congress are trying to reclaim a foothold following their wipeout in the 2021 polls. 

The EC has deployed 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers. It has introduced stringent access control measures at the counting centres, including a ban on mobile phones except for returning officers and observers.

The BJP-led NDA is hoping for a hat-trick in Assam. EVMs, holding the electoral fates of 722 hopefuls from 126 assembly constituencies of the state, will be opened at 40 counting centres across 35 districts.

Polling in the state was held on April 9, with 85.96 per cent turnout.

Among the 722 candidates, the Congress has the highest 99, followed by the BJP with 90, AIUDF with 30, NDA allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 26 and Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF) with 11 nominees.

In Puducherry, six counting centres have been set up across the Union Territory.

The NDA comprising AINRC, BJP, AIADMK and LJK faces a challenge from the INDIA bloc comprising the Congress, DMK and the VCK.

Counting of votes will also be held in eight seats in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, Gujarat and Maharashtra, where bypolls were held last month following the death of sitting MLAs.

The eight constituencies are: Ponda in Goa, Bagalkot and Davnagere South in Karnataka, Koridang in Nagaland, Dharmanagar in Tripura, Umreth in Gujarat, and Rahuri and Baramati in Maharashtra.