Hyderabad: Four states and one UT election counting started at 8 am on Monday. Election counting of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Keralam and Puducherry started at 8 am with postal ballot votes.

Later the EVM ballots will consider for counting. The exit polls predict that tight fighting between TMC and BJP in West Bengal, but an edge to BJP. In Keralam UDF have an edge, BJP will retain Assam and DMK may retain power in Tamil Nadu. But, the TVK will play a key role in forming a Government. In Puducherry NDA will retain the power.

The Election Commission has completed all the arrangements for this counting, which will decide the fate of a total of 823 assembly seats. The time has come for the results of the assembly elections in 4 states and one union territory, which have created a lot of excitement across the country. The counting of votes for the assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will begin on Monday at 8 am. It is known that polling was held in these states in several phases in the month of April.

All eyes are focused on West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in these five states. In West Bengal, there was a tight fight between the TMC led by Chief Minister Mamatha Banerjee and the BJP. TMC Chief Mamatha Benarjee is confident of winning more than 200 seats; most exit polls have predicted that the BJP is likely to win.

While the ruling DMK alliance is looking to retain power once again in Tamil Nadu, the political equations have become interesting with the entry of actor Vijay-led TVK. It is noteworthy that some polls predict that TVK will have a lead. In Kerala, polls say that the Congress-led UDF, not the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF, may come to power.  In Assam, the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP alliance is expected to retain power easily, while the NDA alliance has a chance of victory in Puducherry.

State Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said that massive arrangements have been made for the counting of votes for the 234 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. 62 counting centers have been set up across the State. The counting of postal ballots will begin at 8 am, and the counting of EVMs will begin at 8:30 am.

About 1.25 lakh personnel and one lakh police personnel have been deployed for this process. Three-tier security has been set up at the counting centres. Local police will be on duty in the outer perimeter, state armed police at the gates, and central armed police forces at the counting halls and strong rooms. For the first time, entry into the centres will be allowed only through a QR code-based photo identification system.

The Election Commission has made tight security arrangements for the counting of votes in West Bengal as well. The counting will be held at 77 counting centres across the State. However, since repolling has been announced in Falta constituency on May 21^st, the counting of votes will be done on Monday for only 293 seats out of 294 seats. Falta results will be declared on May 24^th.

Three-tier security is also being implemented in Bengal. Only central forces have been deployed inside the counting rooms, while state and central forces have been deployed outside. Mobile phones have been completely banned inside the counting centers. Keeping in mind the violent incidents that took place after the 2021 elections, the EC has decided to continue the deployment of 700 companies of central forces in the State until further orders. Overall, the counting is likely to begin on Monday morning and the results are likely to be clear by evening.