NDA Surges Ahead in Lok Sabha Elections as Counting Progresses

The BJP-led NDA is leading in more than 200 parliamentary seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc is ahead in 120. Counting of votes, including postal ballots and EVMs, has started. Results for assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim held simultaneously with Lok Sabha elections have already been declared.

The BJP-led NDA surged forward on Tuesday, taking leads in over 200 of the 350 parliamentary seats for which trends have emerged, with the opposition INDIA bloc leading in 120, according to television reports.

Different channels presented varying figures: India Today reported 205 seats for the NDA and 129 for the INDIA bloc; ABP News listed 230 for the NDA and 120 for the opposition alliance; and NDTV showed the NDA leading in 194 seats with the INDIA bloc close behind with 135 seats.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced that the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections has commenced across states and Union Territories.

As per the Conduct of Election Rules, counting of postal ballots began first, followed 30 minutes later by the counting of votes recorded in electronic voting machines (EVMs). Both processes are continuing simultaneously.

Of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, counting is being carried out for 542, given that BJP's Surat candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed.

Simultaneously, votes are being counted for the assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, held along with the Lok Sabha elections. Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim also went to polls alongside the Lok Sabha elections, with their results declared on June 2.

Since 2019, for enhanced transparency, VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) slips from five randomly selected polling stations per assembly constituency—or from segments in the case of Lok Sabha seats—are matched with the EVM count.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)