LS polls LIVE | Congress terms EC 'Enfeebled Commission'

The Election Commission is learnt to have stuck to its plan of counting the paper trail machines slips at the end of counts and not in the beginning as demanded by opposition parties. The Commission is also learnt to have decided to count postal ballots simultaneously with Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) count due to the "sheer size" of the ballots received this time from service voters. Till now, the postal ballots were counted in the beginning followed by votes polled in voting machines.The Commission on Wednesday is learnt to have decided to follow the established procedure of counting voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips for the mandatory five polling stations per assembly segment of each parliamentary constituency at the end of the entire counting process. Stay tuned to Deccan Herald for all the live updates!

Modi most preferred choice for PM: Survey

A survey on Monday found Narendra Modi to be the most popular choice for the post of the Prime Minister of the 17th Lok Sabha. In the post-poll survey conducted by The Hindu and CSDS-Lokniti, most number of people preferred Modi over Congress president Rahul Gandhi

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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Get Live Results 7 AM onwards

The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, one of the most bitterly fought in recent memory, came to a close on May 19. A staggering 900 million eligible voters will decide the fate of 8,039 candidates fighting for 542 seats when votes will be counted on May 23.

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Lok Sabha polls: All eyes on counting of votes today

As the countdown has begun for the counting of votes of Lok Sabha election, all eyes have turned towards candidates from Mysore-Kodagu constituency.

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Political plunge? No plans, says Annamalai

Deputy commissioner of police (Bengaluru South) K Annamalai, hailed as ‘Singham’ of Karnataka, is said to have decided to hang up his boots and take a plunge into politics.

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Oppn has a plan ready if BJP falls short of 272

Opposition parties will approach President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday afternoon itself urging him not to call the BJP for forming the government if it falls short of the majority mark and instead extend an invitation to them arguing that the mandate is for the formation of an alternative dispensation.

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CM contenders Naidu and Jagan reach Amaravati for C-Day

The two major contenders, N. Chandrababu Naidu and Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, arrived in Amaravati on Wednesday, in time for the counting day. The leaders seemed equally confident about coming to power with their followers all set to celebrate victory.

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Don't believe 'fake' exit polls: Rahul Gandhi

A day ahead of the counting of votes of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday urged party workers to remain “alert for the next 24 hours” and fearless.

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May 23: Fate of 2 LS, 4 Assembly bypolls to be decided

The fate of two Lok Sabha seats and four Assembly bypolls in Goa will be revealed when counting gets underway on May 23.

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No hotel accommodation for newly elected LS members

The newly-elected Lok Sabha members will have to make do with transit accommodation at Western Court – the recently upgraded parliament's hostel and state guesthouses instead of swanky hotels.

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SC grants protection from arrest to BJP candidate

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted protection from arrest to Arjun Singh, the BJP candidate from Barrackpore Parliamentary constituency, in criminal cases lodged against him after he left TMC. He wanted to be present during the counting of votes of general elections 2019, scheduled for May 23.

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BJD to open its cards after poll results

The ruling Biju Janata Dal(BJD) in Odisha has adopted a wait and watch policy and indicted that it would open its cards only after the general elections results are out on Thursday.

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Heavy security in Bengal, Kerala for counting day

Large-scale security arrangements have been made in West Bengal and Kerala to prevent any untoward incidents today, when the results of the Lok Sabha elections are being declared.

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Mamata asks TMC workers for vigil on counting centres

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee has issued several instructions to party workers to ensure that no EVM tampering takes place on Thursday when the results of the Lok Sabha elections will be declared.

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Oppn in 'wait and watch' mode as they await poll results before making next move

Top opposition leaders will be in touch with each other and in case the NDA falls short of a majority, they will act swiftly to stake claim to form the government, sources said Wednesday, a day ahead of counting of votes of the Lok Sabha elections.

Non-NDA parties are in a "wait and watch" mode and their top leaders will be in constant touch with each other to bringing the opposition together, they said.

In case the NDA does not get a majority, the opposition parties will write to the President and present themselves as one block and assert that they should be given preference over the single largest party, the sources said.

Opposition leaders have already held meetings and top Congress leaders also did some brainstorming ahead counting day as they think they stand a chance at forming the government if the NDA falls short of the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Almost all exit polls have predicted a victory for the BJP-led NDA, but that has not brought the morale of opposition parties down as they still hope for a "better" result.

"We will be in constant touch with each other and will try to put our act together after seeing the numbers, in case the NDA fails to get a majority," an opposition leader said.

He added that any talk of forming the government would come only after the numbers come out on Thursday.

Cong terms EC 'Enfeebled Commission', says it is black day for democracy

The Congress on Wednesday dubbed the Election Commission as "Enfeebled Commission" after the poll body was learnt to have rejected the opposition parties' demand for pre-verification of VVPATs with EVMs while counting and said it was a "black day" for democracy.

Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi asked on what basis the commission had arrived at the decision as the Supreme Court ruling on VVPAT counting did not come under Rule 56-D as cited by it.

He also questioned whether the EVMs were "electronic victory machines" for the BJP and the Model Code of Conduct was "Modi's Campaign Code", alleging that the poll body had succumbed to the pressure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

EVM security protocol is very strict: OP Rawat

EVMs can't be tampered with. EVM security protocol is so strict whenever a strong room has to be opened, representatives of all political parties have to be there, machines are taken out in their presence, a mock poll is also conducted: Former Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat tells news agency ANI

Election 2019: Modi addressed 142 rallies, Rahul 145

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi addressed more than 140 rallies each in the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, the opposition leader scoring a tad better in terms of voter outreach by also holding eight press conferences.

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People want Modi ji back as PM: Ram Madhav

People want Modi ji back as PM, we'll form a strong govt again, together with our NDA partners. They (Congress) are looking for excuses for their impending defeat tomorrow, they have blamed EC, now they are blaming EVMs, tomorrow they'll start blaming voters also: Ram Madhav to ANIPeople want Modi ji back as PM, we'll form a strong govt again, together with our NDA partners. They (Congress) are looking for excuses for their impending defeat tomorrow, they have blamed EC, now they are blaming EVMs, tomorrow they'll start blaming voters also: Ram Madhav to ANI

Home Ministry warns of violence on counting day

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday warned state governments of the possibility of violence on the day of the counting of votes.In a statement, the MHA said it hasalerted the State Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police regarding the possibility of eruption of violence in different parts of the country in connection with the counting of votes on Thursday.

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Cong will accept LS poll results with humility: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said the Congress will accept the Lok Sabha election results with "humility", but maintained that exit poll projections have been wrong several times.

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'Rattled by likely defeat, opposition questioning EVMs'

BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday slammed the opposition over its doubts on EVMs, saying the rival parties are rattled by their likely defeat and are "tarnishing" India and its democracy by raising questions on its electoral process.

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Opposition desperate over VVPAT issue: Ram Vilas Paswan

Union Minister and BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday dubbed the opposition "sour losers" and claimed that their "desperation" over the VVPAT issue was an indication of their defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.

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UP results to decide future of Akhilesh-Maya alliance

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav may have hinted at the continuance of his alliance with the BSP irrespective of the outcome of the Lok Sabha polls,sources close to both the regional satraps said in no uncertain terms that the fate of their political relationship hinged on the election results in Uttar Pradesh.

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NDA slams bloodshed threat in Bihar

The BJP-led alliance in Bihar has slammed former Union Minister and RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha for his threat of “bloodshed if the mandate was hijacked on the day of counting on Thursday.”

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'Lalu's absence was big challenge while fighting polls'

The absence of RJD chief Lalu Prasad during campaigning in Bihar for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls was a "very big challenge", but the party has put up a "good fight" nonetheless, his son Tej Pratap Yadav said.

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EC's VVPAT decision goes against SC order: Yechury

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the Election Commission's rejection of the Opposition demand to first count the VVPAT slips went against the "spirit" of a Supreme Court order on the devices.

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EC's VVPAT decision goes against SC order: Yechury

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the Election Commission's rejection of the Opposition demand to first count the VVPAT slips went against the "spirit" of a Supreme Court order on the devices.

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EC rejects opposition parties' demand on VVPAT

The Election Commission is learnt to have stuck to its plan of counting the paper trail machines slips at the end of counts and not in the beginning as demanded by opposition parties.
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The politicians who made headlines with their views

Call them motor-mouths or simply contentious, they are the not-to-be-quietened candidates who kept up the controversial chatter through the Lok Sabha elections, sometimes at rallies and other times through social media posts or responses to questions from the media.

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All Oppn eyes on UP, Bengal, Odisha figures

With most of the exit polls suggesting a comfortable majority for the BJP-led NDA, the Opposition is eagerly looking at what the numbers would be in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal where the saffron party is predicted to be doing better than expected.

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Exit poll prediction dismays people in Kashmir

The exit poll prediction of NDA returning to power has dismayed most of the people in Kashmir who fear that if a BJP government returns to power, it would take decisions detrimental for the Valley.

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EC rejects opposition parties' demand on VVPAT

The Election Commission on Wednesday rejected the demands of opposition parties for a reversal of the procedure adopted for counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections.

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OPINION | Far from ‘majboor’, coalitions spell a ‘mazboot’ polity

In his recent address at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah's press conference on Friday, May 17, just minutes before curtains came down on Campaign 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that after a long timea single-party majority government would return to office after completing its entire tenure of five years.

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EC sets up control room to monitor EVM related complaints

The Election Commission has set up a 24-hour EVM control room to monitor complaints regarding EVMsat Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi

Sharad Pawar reaches out to KCR, Naveen Patnaik

In an effort to prevent the NDA from forming the government at the centre, NCP chief Sharad Pawar is said to have contacted Telangana Cheif Minister KCR and Naveen Patnaik to form an alliance if there is a slim opportunity to form the government.

EC wants to set new precedent of 'dark secrets': Cong

A day before the counting of the votes polled in the Lok Sabha election, the Congress on Wednesday termed as "constitutional travesty" the EC's rejection of Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's demand that dissent notes should be recorded and allegedthat the poll watchdog wanted to set a new precedent of "dark secrets" and "secluded chambers" in performing its duties.

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Doubt on security: EC tries to allay EVM fears

A number of videos surfaced on social media on Tuesday, showing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) being stored in apparently unauthorized places and moved around without being escorted by securitymen in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Bihar.

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VVPAT count: Results to be delayed by 4 hrs in K'taka

Declaration of the Lok Sabha election results in the state may be delayed by at least four hours, but a clear trend will emerge by afternoon on May 23, when votes will be counted, officials said.

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VVPAT: EC for 'blood test', Oppn wants 'full body scan'

"When we do a blood test, we take blood from only one point," Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Tuesday told a group of Opposition leaders who were insisting on 100% VVPAT verification in case there is a mismatch while tallying the EVM andVVPATs of five polling stations in the Lok Sabha elections.

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Gowda, HDK skip key Opposition meet

In a development that has raised eyebrows in political circles, JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and his son, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy skipped a key meeting of Opposition parties to discuss issues surrounding EVM-VVPAT in New Delhi on Tuesday.

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H D Devegowda JD(S) supremo felicitate Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh at his visit in Padmanabha Nagar in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Will AIADMK govt survive in TN political crisis?

Will the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu, led by Edappadi K Palaniswami survive or will the state plunge into a political crisis yet again?

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Rail services disrupted due to post-poll violence

Rail services were disrupted in West Bengal’s Sealdah division as post-poll violence erupted in the Bhatpara Assembly segment in North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday.

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U T Kadar criticises Roshan Baig

Condemning senior Congress leader Roshan Baig statement, Minister for Urban Development U T Kadar said Baig is a senior leader of the party and he should not have aired his views publicly.

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Goa Oppn leader demands banning of exit poll agencies

The Congress in Goa on Tuesday joined the national rhetoric questioning the findings of numerous exit polls, demanding that poll agencies who put dubious exit poll results in the public domain should be banned.

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Post polls, Maharashtra will see political churning

Notwithstanding the outcome of the 17th Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, the state is set to go through a major political churning once the results are out.

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Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and TDP President meets JD(S) leader HD Devegowda and Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru.

Modi likens his LS campaign to pilgrimage at meeting with ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday likened his campaign for this Lok Sabha election to a pilgrimage, saying it stood out from other polls as it was being fought by the people and not the party alone. Source: PTI

'Blood may spill if results are manipulated': Upendra Kushwaha

The opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar alleged that attempts were being made to manipulate Lok Sabha poll results in favour of the ruling NDAand warned blood may spill on the streets on account of tremendous public anger.

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Modi, Shah meet Union ministers to thank them

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Union ministers from the BJP as well as allies at a meeting hosted by party president Amit Shah at its headquarters.

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BJP asks Opp to accept defeat with grace

The BJP Tuesday condemned opposition parties for questioning the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines and asked them to accept their defeat with grace if the people vote Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power again.

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Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu to meet JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru at 9.30 PM tonight

SC rejects PIL on 100% matching of VVPAT slips

The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking 100 pc matching of VVPATslips with EVMsduring the counting of votes on May 23 for Lok Sabha polls.

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BJP asks Opposition to accept defeat over EVM row

The BJP condemned opposition parties for questioning the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and asked them to accept their defeat "with grace" if the people vote Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power again.

CPI(M) demands repolling in Bengal's Diamond Harbour

The CPI(M) has written to the Election Commission (EC) alleging "large-scale irregularities" in the May 19 polling held in the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at BJP headquarters for the meeting of Union Council of Minsters. Photo: ANI

RLSP's Upendra Kushwaha calls for taking up arms to protect votes if needed

DH Deciphers: Waiting eagerly for election results?

May 23 is election results day. The votes cast by nearly 600 million people will be counted in some 978 counting halls across the country. Here is how it's all done.

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Opposition allege tampering, EC rejects allegations

Movement of EVMsin some eastern Uttar Pradesh districts on Monday night triggered a massive controversy with the opposition parties alleging attempts to tamper with the same even as the ECrejected the charges.

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There is large-scale bungling relating to EVMs in Uttar Pradesh. We demand deployment of central forces: BSP's Satish Chandra Mishra.

We are asking Election Commission to respect mandate of people. It cannot be manipulated, says TDP's Chandrababu Naidu.

EVMs are absolutely foolproof: Delhi's CEO

Amid a slew of allegations by the opposition about the reliability of EVMs, Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh has said that the machines are "absolutely fool-proof" and fulfils all "transparency and administrative protocols".

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Abhishek Singhvi, Congress after opposition's meeting with EC: We raised these same issues in the last 1.5 months. We asked EC why have they not responded. Strangely, EC heard us for almost an hr&they assured us they'll meet again tomorrow morning to consider primarily these 2 issues. Source: ANI

22 parties of the opposition have submitted a memorandum before the EC, requesting that the verification of VVPAT slips of randomly identified (05) polling stations should be done prior to the initiation of counting of votes & not after the completion of last round of counting.

In the memorandum, the opposition leaders have also demanded that if any discrepancy is found anywhere during the VVPAT verification, 100% counting of paper slips of VVPATs of all polling stations of that assembly segment should be done. Source: ANI

'Safety and security of EVMs is EC's responsibility'

Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday almost echoed the opposition parties to express concern over the “alleged tampering of voters' verdict”.

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EC comments on viral visuals of EVMs in the open, says they were not used for polls

Complaints of alleged movement of EVMs, purportedly to replace polled EVMs in strongrooms, doing rounds in sections of media. Would like to unambiguously clarify that reports are absolutely false. Visuals seen viral on media do not pertain to any EVMs used during the polls.

The provisions and protocols have been explained to the political parties on multiple occasions including in several of the 93 meetings held with them at the Commission since the announcement of elections.

The aspersions in clips being used in media merely pertain to the storage or movement of reserve unused EVMs. However any case of lapse even in handling of reserve EVMs is thoroughly investigated and disciplinary action taken against the officers responsible. Source: ANI

EC's silence on EVMs being switched is worrying: Mufti

PDPpresident Mehbooba Mufti said the silence of the ECwas worrying even after "evidence" had come to the fore that the EVMsused in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls were being switched.

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Mamata's plan to counter BJP in Bengal: ‘Us vs them’

TMC has set the political agenda for the next two years, stoking an intense rivalry between Bengalis and non-Bengalis over culture, language and Bengali sub-nationalism.

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EC could have taken decisions quickly: Ex-CEC Krishnamurthy

Former chief election commissioner T S Krishnamurthy Tuesday said the poll body has done 'a good job' in conducting the Lok Sabha elections but could have taken decisions on certain complaints in time.

He also came out in support of the demand of Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa that his dissent be recorded in orders on model code of conduct (MCC) violation cases.

Opposition leaders to pressdemand of tallying VVPAT slips with EVM figures in an entire Assembly constituency in case a discrepancy is found in any polling booth.

Congress MLAs offered money and posts: Kamal Nath

Opposition leaders meet to discuss EVM charges

19 Opposition parties have met in Delhi's Constitution Club of India to discuss the EVM charges. The meeting included Derek O' Brien, Chandrababu Naidu and Sitaram Yechury among others.

EVMs secure in the strong rooms - Election Commission

The Election Commission on Tuesday dismissed claims that the EVMs were being moved around and established that they were secure in the strong rooms. The EC also rejected allegations of disparity at the strong rooms where the EVMs have been kept beforethe counting day on May 23.

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Don't lose hope over exit polls: Priyanka

AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday night sent an audio message to Congress workers asking them not to get disheartened by the exit poll projections that showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi retaining power.

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Pranab Mukherjee hails EC

At a time when the Election Commission is under fire from opposition parties for being biased, former president Pranab Mukherjee on Monday lauded the role of the poll panel saying the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were conducted "perfectly"

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Mobiles, poll agents not allowed in counting rooms

Leaving no room for arguments that EVMscould be hacked through Bluetooth devices, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has prohibited mobile phones inside the counting rooms along with polling agents of candidates on May 23.

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SC dismisses plea for 100% VVPAT match

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea for 100% matching of VVPATs with EVM vote counts during the counting in general elections 2019, scheduled for May 23.
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EC dismisses reports about mishandling of EVMs

No guarantee of Oppn 'alliance' staying intact by May 23: Sena

The Shiv Sena on Monday hit out at the opposition parties for trying to come together to keep the BJP out of power after the Lok Sabha poll results, saying the country cannot afford to have a coalition government "crawling" with the support of several small outfits.

Taking a swipe at TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu's efforts to forge an alliance of opposition parties, it said he was unnecessarily exhausting himself by running from pillar to post as there was no guarantee of this "possible coalition" staying intact by the time results are out on May 23.

Elections to 542 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha ended on Sunday and the counting of votes is slated for Thursday (May 23).

Kamal Haasan gets protection from arrest on Godse jibe

Madras High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to actor-politician Kamal Haasan in a case filed by the Aravakurichi Police for his statement that independent India’s first terrorist was a “Hindu.”

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How reliable are exit polls? Data says not much!

The exit polls have a history of underplaying the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), while it has historically overplayed the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) performance.A DH analysis of the data for the past three general elections, collated by global investment bank UBS, reveals at an average the exit polls have overplayed the NDA’s performance by 4.3%, while it has underplayed the UPA’s performance by 8.9% at an average across all three previous elections.

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Naidu to meet Mamata for post-poll alliance talks in Kolkata

A day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, sources said.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president will meet Banerjee as part of his efforts to unite opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23.

Exit polls predict majority for BJP in Karnataka

The BJP will win big in Karnataka, with the saffron party increasing its tally compared with the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, according to exit polls aired by various TV news channels on Sunday.

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Exit polls highlight North vs South divide in India

Exit polls, which by and large give a resounding victory to Narendra Modi-led BJP clearly indicate that while Modi factor worked big in North India, South India gave a lukewarm response to the saffron party barring Karnataka, where the surveys predictmore than half seats for the BJP.

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Even exit polls split over Mandya verdict

Suspense over who would win the bitterly fought Mandya parliamentary seat continues as the exit polls are divided in their predictions.

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Rupee rises 79 paise to 69.44 vs USD after exit polls

The rupee appreciated 79 paise to 69.44 against the US dollar in opening trade on Monday after exit poll results suggested another term for the ruling NDA government, even as crude oil prices firmed up.

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Hua to Hua – A guide to Lok Sabha elections 2019

No election, that too in India, is the same. Twists and turns mark every such mammoth exercise.In this edition of Lok Sabha election, the seventeenth, the election was announced on March 10, first vote was cast on April 11 and the last on May 19 late evening and during this period Indian voterswere witness to unprecedented acts – from a non-political interview to fielding of terror accused to absence of certain issues to the rebellion within Election Commission – name it, and you had it.

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Exit polls suggest strong NDA presence in Maharashtra

The BJP-Shiv Sena combine is likely to take a strong majority in Maharashtra, according to several exit polls.

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Mamata Banerjee rubbishes exit polls

Rubbishing exit poll results which predicted a return to power by the BJP-led NDA West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that it is a ploy to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs.

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Shares surge after exit polls show Modi victory

Shares surged on Monday, a day after exit polls showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi would retain power with a bigger majority in the parliament, with financials leading the charge.

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It's all about Modi, again

If the exit poll results turn out to be correct, Narendra Modi’s decision to make the 2019 election all about Narendra Modi has worked like a charm.

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Over 64.14% vote in 7th phase, CEC claims fair polling

The almost six-week-long polling process for Lok Sabha elections came to its end on Sunday, when at least 64.14% voters cast votes in the last of the seven phases of voting with sporadic incidents of violence being reported – mostly from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

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Sonia steps in to sew alliance; will meet Mayawati

As polling for the Lok Sabha elections concluded on Sunday, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi stepped in to put together a coalition.

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BJP to acquire maximum seats in the Hindi heartland

A majority of the exit polls have stated that the Bhartiya Janata Party will win the maximum seats in Bihar.

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NDA to sweep seats in most North states

The exit polls released on Sunday shortly after the end of the final phase of the Lok Sabha Polls predict the BJP-led NDA will return to power in the 9 West-Central states and union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

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Exit polls mixed in the eastern part of the country

The Exit Polls for the seats in the eastern part of the country are mixed. The BJP looks to have shown tremendous improvement in the region though, especially in West Bengal and Odisha.

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Advantage for Congress in the South

A total of 128 seats are up for grabs in the southern part of the country for the Lok Sabha polls. India Today-Axis exit polls have predicted the Congress to take the upper hand in the southern states.

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NDA to maintain command over West-Central states

The exit polls released on Sunday shortly after the end of the final phase of the Lok Sabha Polls predict the BJP-led NDA will return to power in the 6 West-Central states and union territories.

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Lok Sabha Elections 2019 | Exit Poll Results

History to repeat in Gujarat, state exit polls

Yet again, the Bhartiya Janata Party will have a clean win in the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, according to the exit polls. The BJP had won 15 seats out of 26 seats in the state, in the 2014 elections.

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Final trends from exit polls put NDA between 242-306 seats, UPA between 82-164

BJP to win Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli

India Today-Axis exit poll predicts BJP victory in both the single Lok Sabha seats in union territories Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

BJP expected to retain Goa

India Today Axis has revealed that they expect the BJP to retain both their seats in Goa.

Clean sweep for TMC in West Bengal, say exit polls

As the much-awaited exit polls have started bombarding their results on the TV screens, the majority of the exit polls predict that the Trinamool Congress will yet again hold sway in the state.

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Exit polls suggest strong NDA presence in Maharashtra

The BJP-Shiv Sena combine is likely to take a strong majority in Maharashtra, according to several exit polls.

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NDA shows strong results in North-East

As per exit poll conducted by CNN News 18-IPSOS, NDA will win 17-19 seats, INC win will 4-6 seats, and the AIUDF will win 2 seats.

Chanakya exit poll predicts 38 seats for NDA in Maharashtra

Chanakya Exit Polls suggests the BJP-Shiv Sena NDA combine will get 38 seats and the UPA will get 10 seats in Maharashtra

UP: BJP may win Uttar Pradesh, but not top 2014 tally

Uttar Pradesh, which sends the highest number of lawmakers to Parliament, is likely to hand a win to the BJP, exit polls show. The exit polls, however, predict that the Akhilesh-Mayawati combine will fare better than most against the saffron party.

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How reliable are exit polls? Data says not much!

The exit polls have a history of underplaying the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), while it has historically overplayed the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) performance.

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Edge for Naidu in AP assembly, KCR sweep in T'gana LS

Contrary to national level exit polls on Andhra Pradesh, different surveys and exit polls on the poll scene of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states have predicted a slight edge to Nara Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra and a sweep by Telangana Rashtra Samithi in Telangana Lok Sabha elections.

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Exit polls predict majority for BJP in Karnataka

The seventh phase of the Lok Sabha Polls came to a close on Sunday and various exit pollshave predicted the BJP to win in Karnataka in the Lok Sabha polls 2019. According to India Today Axis, the BJP is expected to receive a vote share of 49 per cent, while winning an estimated 21-25 seats in the process.

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Exit polls say it's advantage NDA led by BJP

Most exit polls forecast a majority for the ruling BJP-led NDA in Lok Sabha polls with varying numbers as the seven-phase polling in the general elections ended on Sunday.

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The Times Now-VMR exit poll states thatthe vote share of Congress will be 8.8 per cent, the AITC will win the highest vote share with 39.1 per cent votes, BJP with the second highest at31.86 per cent, the Left Front will have 15.9 per cent votes and vote share of the other parties will be 4.34 per cent.

According to ABP Nielsen survey, of the total 25 seats in the Northeast,BJP+ may win 13 parliamentary seats; while Congress and others may bag six each.

Omar Abdullah: "Every exit poll can't be wrong"

"Every single exit poll can’t be wrong! Time to switch off the TV, log out of social media & wait to see if the world is still spinning on its axis on the 23rd": Omar Abdullah

Final tally of News18-IPSOS Exit Poll

Here's the final tally of News18-IPSOS Exit Poll:

NDA: 336 | UPA: 82 | Others: 124

In addition, the survey predicts that the BJP will cross the half-way mark (272 seats) on its own.

Mamata Banerjee: "I don't trust Exit Poll gossip"

"I don’t trust Exit Poll gossip. The game plan is to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs through this gossip. I appeal to all Opposition parties to be united, strong and bold. We will fight this battle together," Mamata Banerjee tweeted.

NDA to have to maximum seats in Gujarat: Times Now-VMR

The Times Now-VMR predicts the NDA will win23 seats, UPA will win 3 seats and the other parties and independent candidates will not win any seats.

The India Today-Axis Poll suggests that BJP will win with the 25-26 seats and the Congress will win 0-1 seats in the state.

Republic TV-Jan ki Baat predicts NDA victory in Bihar

Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat predicts that the NDA will win with 28-31 seats, the UPA will get 11-8 seats, and other parties and independent candidates will be left with 1 seat.

Republic TV-CVoter says that the NDA will win in the Hindi heartland with 33 seats, the UPA will win 7 seats and the others will have no seats in their hands.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced criticism early on in the election campaign for failing to create jobs for youth and for weak farm prices. There were reports that showed Congress gaining ground on the back of this criticism.

Thereafter, BJP's set sights on the campaign projecting a nationalist image with turning the contest into a fight for national security as tensions rose with Pakistan. Modi attacked the previous Congress-led government for being soft on Pakistan.

ABP-AC Nielsen exit polls suggests BJP's loss in UP

ABP-AC Nielsen's exit poll suggests the NDA will win 22 seats, the UPA will win 2 seats and the remaining 56 seats will be taken by others.

Poll of Polls: Rajasthan - BJP victory

Poll of polls figures suggest that the BJP will win 22 seats in Rajasthan, while the Congress gets 3 and the Others nil.

Initial exit polls predict NDA victory

CNN-News 18 exit poll for Assam puts BJP falling just short of majority in Assam

In Assam, of the total 14 parliamentary seats, BJP is predicted to hold seven parliamentary seats; AIUDF and Congress get three each, and the Independent gets one.

According to Chanakya-News24 survey, BJP is likely to win 10 seats, Congressmay win 3 seats and one may go to one of the other parties in Assam.

Times Now-VMR and CVoter exit poll for West Bengal shows TMC winning

In the Mamata Banerjee dominated state, the Times Now-VMR say that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will win with the seat share of 28, the NDA will be on the second position with the seat share of 11, the UPA will have 2 seats, and the Other parties will be on the least position with 1 seat.

According to the CVoter exit polls, the TMC will have the majority vote share with 29 seats, the NDA will trail behind with 11, the UPA will win 2 seats, and the other parties will again be left with no seats.

On the other hand, the Jan Ki Baat exit pollpredicts that NDA will win19-26 seats. the TMCwill win 13-21 seats, the UPA will win 3 seats, and the Other parties will win no seats

Jan Ki Baat exit polls for Odisha suggest BJP victory

The Jan Ki Baat Lok Sabha exit polls for Odisha suggest that theBJD will get 8 seats, the BJP 12 seats and the Congress 1seat.

However, the CVoter poll figures for Odisha LS polls suggest 11 for BJD, 10 for BJP and none for the Congress.

Exit poll data from Republic CVoter Survey predicts NDA to bag 287 seats and UPA 128 seats. The Mahagathbandhan is expected to clinch 40 seats while others will win 81, the exit poll suggests.

India Today-My Axis Exit Poll for Maharashtra puts NDA in comfortable win

The India Today-My Axis exit poll puts the NDA in a comfortable position in Maharashtra, with the combine winning 38-42 of the 48 LS seats and the UPA taking 6-10 seats.

The India Today-Axis My India exit poll suggests that BJP will be comfortably ahead of Congress in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Interestingly, Congress had tasted success in the assembly polls held last year.

Republic TV-CVoter Exit Poll predicts majority for NDA

The Republic TV-CVoter Exit Poll says the NDA will get 46-57 seats, the Mahagathbandhan will get 21-32 seats and the UPA will get a mere 2-4 seats out of the total 80 LS seats for the state.

Times Now-VMR Exit Poll for Uttar Pradesh puts NDA in a lead despite fall in seats

The Times Now-VMR 2019 Exit Poll for Uttar Pradesh puts the NDA at 58 seats, a significant fall from the 2014 numbers. UPA gets 2 seats while the mahagathbandhan gets 20 seats.

Vote Share: UPA: 9.3 per centNDA: 44.8 per cent SP-BSP+: 40.2 per cent Others: 5.7 per cent

News18-IPSOS exit poll in Assam predict 8-10 seats for NDA

According to News18-IPSOS exit pollin Assam, the NDA is expected to pick up eight to 10 seats, with the Asom Gana Parishad and the Congress restricted to single digits.

In the other Northeast states, the NDA is expected to win the majority, cornering 17-19 of them, with the Congress winning from four to six constituencies.

Congress up in Kerala: Exit poll

The Sabarimala pitch may have failed to convert into votes for the BJP in Kerala. It looks like Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad magic may have worked for Congress, according to India Today My Axis exit poll.

Congress+ | Seat share 15-16

BJP+ | Seat share 0-1

Others | Seat share 3-5

Karnataka gives thumbs-up to Modi: India Today My Axis Exit Poll

India Today My Axis exit poll strongly hints that Modi magic is working in Karnataka. The Cong-JD(S) alliance may lose its stronghold in the state, according to the survey.

BJP+ | Seat Share 21-25

Congress+ | Seat Share 3-6

Others | Seat Share 0-1

India Today Axis exit polls say that the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu will sweep the polls with an estimated 34-38 seats.

Ruling Party AIADMK and BJP is expected to win a meagre 0-4 seats. The DMK-Congress alliance is expected to get a vote share of 52 per cent with AIADMK getting 35 per cent.

Modi set for a second term: Republic TV-CVoter

Republic TV-CVoter Exit Polls state that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win the 17th Lok Sabha elections with 287 seats and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will follow NDA with 128 seats, whereas the Mahagathbandan will win 40 votes, and the remaining 87 seats will be taken by other parties.

The poll predicted vote share of the NDA to be 43 per cent and UPA to be 29 per cent

Times Now-VMR Exit poll for Maharashtra

The Times Now-VMR exit poll for Maharashtra puts BJP+ in the lead with 38 seats, Congress+ trails with just 10

The poll predicts a seat share for BJP+ at 48.6 per cent and Congress+ at 36.5 per cent. Independents and others take the remaining 14.9 per cent

Jan Ki Baat predicts strong victory for NDA, puts UPA in trail

The Jan Ki Baat exit poll predicts that the NDA will get 305, the UPA 124, Mahagathbandhan 26 and 87 for the Others.

The Jan Ki Baat exit poll means that the NDA has won by 41.5 per cent of vote share, the UPA has bagged 24.5, while it is 34 per cent for the others.

India Today My Axis India predictions for Andhra Pradesh are out. Here's what they project for the state:

YSRCP | Seat Share 18-20 | Vote Share 45%

TDP | Seat Share 4-6 |Vote Share 38%

Congress | Seat Share 0-1 (others) |Vote Share 3%

BJP | Seat Share 0-1 (others) |Vote Share 3%

NDA to get 306 seats, UPA 132: Times Now-VMR

Times Now-VMR Exit polls say that the NDA+ is likely to form the 17th Lok Sabha with a clear majority of 306 seats and the UPA trailing with 132 seats and the remaining 104 seats being taken by other parties and independents.

The poll predicted the vote share of the BJP to be at 41.1 per cent and the Congress' vote share to be at 31.7 per cent

61% voter turnout in seven-phased elections: EC

The Election Commission said that polling has concluded in 542 parliamentary constituencies across states and Union Territories. Across the seven-phase elections, a voter turnout of 61 per cent was recorded.

The EC said 7.27 crore voters took part in the polls of which 3.47 crore were women and 3,377 were persons of the third gender.

Rahul swipes at Modi, says EC is no longer feared and respected

Rahul Gandhi on Twitter: From Electoral Bonds & EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, “Modi’s Army” & now the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commission’s capitulation before Mr Modi & his gang is obvious to all Indians.

The EC used to be feared & respected. Not anymore.

Follow DH's coverage of the seventh phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha election here

Voter turnout at 6 PM: 60.21%

Expel Pragya Thakur: Nitish tells BJP

Hours before the seventh and last phase of election was over, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked the BJP to expel leaders like Pragya Thakur for making "highly objectionable remarks" against Mahatma Gandhi.

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