Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Tryst with destiny? PM Modi eyes Nehru's record on counting day; I.N.D.I.A. bloc defiant

Exit polls results have predicted a return of the BJP for a record third term even as the I.N.D.I.A. partners called it 'government-sponsored' predictions and gave a minimum of 295 for itself.

New Delhi: Around 64.2 crore votes that were polled during the Lok Sabha election between April 19 and June 1 will be counted on Tuesday to decide whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP equals a record set by country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru or the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc put a spanner in the saffron juggernaut.

By evening, the country is likely to have a clear picture of who would govern it for next five years as the fate of 8,360 candidates, including 797 women, in 542 seats will be sealed. In one seat, Surat, a BJP candidate was elected unopposed.

All eyes will be on whether the BJP touches 370 and NDA "400 paar" and if the Congress improves from its electoral misfortunes of the past decade. In both 2014 and 2019, Congress failed to get 10 per cent of the seats.

Exit polls results have predicted a return of the BJP for a record third term even as the I.N.D.I.A. partners called it "government sponsored" predictions and gave a minimum of 295 itself.

The counting of votes will start at 8 AM across the country amid tight security, especially in states like West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh where poll violence was reported. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told reporters that 70-80 lakh personnel are involved in the counting process.

Paramilitary forces will be deployed in several states to prevent any post-result violence based on reports by central poll observers. Security personnel will remain deployed in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal for 15 days after counting, while in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, it will be two days after counting.

Both Congress and BJP top leadership held strategy sessions for counting day and relayed instructions to state leaders. Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said I.N.D.I.A. leaders would "obviously meet" after the results are declared but rejected reports about the bloc protesting against adverse results as "completely misleading and false".

How is counting of votes done?

* Strong room where EVMs are stored is opened in the presence of candidates, their representatives, Returning Officer/Assistant RO and ECI Observer. This is videographed.

* Only Control Units (CU) are brought to Counting Centres under CCTV coverage.

* Round-wise CUs are brought to counting tables from Strong Rooms under continuous CCTV coverage.

* Before retrieving results from CU, seals are verified, and unique serial number of CU is tallied before counting agents.

* Counting agents can verify polled votes displayed on CU with that of Form 17C.

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