Counting of votes for Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will be held on Monday amid multi-layered security arrangements, extensive deployment of personnel and tight monitoring by the Election Commission, setting the stage for a decisive political verdict across 824 Assembly seats.
Counting will begin at 8 am with postal ballots, followed by EVM counting after 30 minutes. Trends are expected by afternoon, with final results likely by evening.
The Election Commission has introduced a three-tier security system at all counting centres and deployed QR code-based Photo Identity Cards through ECINET to prevent unauthorised entry. Mobile phones have been barred inside counting halls except for returning officers and observers.
State-wise stakes
In West Bengal (294 seats; majority mark 148), counting will take place across 77 centres. The state recorded a voter turnout of 92.47 per cent, the highest since Independence.
The Election Commission has deployed 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and state police units are deployed across counting centres and strongrooms.
The EC has reduced counting centres from 87 earlier to 77 this year. The countermanding of polling in Falta due to “severe electoral offences” has pushed voting there to May 21, with counting on May 24.
In Assam (126 seats; majority mark 64), counting will be held across 40 centres in 35 districts. The state recorded a turnout of 85.96 per cent.
Security deployment includes 25 companies of CAPF (around 100 personnel each) for counting centres and strongrooms, two additional CAPF companies on static duty, and 93 companies of state armed police.
A total of 722 candidates are in the fray, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.
In Tamil Nadu (234 seats; majority mark 118), counting will be conducted at 62 centres across the state after an 84 per cent turnout.
A total of 1.25 lakh personnel have been deployed, including election staff, police, and micro-observers. The EC has appointed 234 counting observers.
There are 234 counting halls for EVMs and 240 additional halls for postal ballots and ETPBS. Around 10,545 counting personnel and 4,624 micro-observers are on duty.
In Kerala (140 seats; majority mark 71), counting will take place across 43 locations. A total of 15,464 personnel have been deployed, including 140 returning officers, 1,340 additional ROs, 4,208 micro-observers, 4,208 counting supervisors and 5,563 counting assistants.
Twenty-five companies of central forces have been deployed along with state police.
In Puducherry (30 seats; majority mark 16), six counting centres have been set up. The NDA led by N Rangaswamy faces the INDIA bloc comprising Congress and DMK in a tightly contested battle where small shifts could decide the government.
Across all regions, the Election Commission has strengthened security, monitoring and manpower deployment to ensure smooth counting.
As results unfold, the outcome will determine whether incumbent regional governments retain power or whether opposition combinations manage to shift political equations ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Also read: Bengal awaits verdict; TMC eyes return, BJP seeks breakthrough
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