The high-stakes battle for five states and union territories reaches its climax today, May 4, 2026, as the counting of votes began at 8:00 AM. Political fortunes across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry are being decided, alongside crucial by-polls in seven assembly constituencies across five other states.
The Big Picture: 5 States at a Glance
Counting is currently underway under tight security and Election Commission (ECI) supervision. The initial phase involves the processing of postal ballots, followed by the opening of EVMs.
State/UT Total Seats Seats Under Counting Today Key Detail
West Bengal 294 293 Repoll in Falta (May 21)
Tamil Nadu 234 234 Single-phase result
Kerala 140 140 High-stakes LDF vs UDF vs NDA
Assam 126 126 Critical for regional dynamics
Puducherry 30 30 Battle for the UT Assembly
West Bengal: The Falta Factor
In West Bengal, the magic number is 148, but the full picture will remain slightly incomplete today. While counting is active for 293 seats, the Election Commission has ordered a complete repoll in the Falta constituency (South 24 Parganas) following reports of electoral offences and “subversion of the democratic process.”
Falta Repoll Date: May 21, 2026
Falta Counting Date: May 24, 2026
National By-Polls Update
Beyond the major state elections, counting is also in progress for seven Assembly by-poll seats across five states. These include:
Maharashtra: Rahuri and Baramati
Karnataka: Bagalkot and Davanagere South
Gujarat: Umreth
Nagaland: Koridang
Tripura: Dharmanagar
Tight Security and Real-Time Monitoring
Election authorities have deployed multi-layered security protocols, including central forces, CCTV surveillance, and real-time monitoring systems to ensure the integrity of the counting process. Strict adherence to guidelines is being maintained across all centres.
Tight Security and Real-Time Monitoring
Election authorities have deployed multi-layered security protocols, including central forces, CCTV surveillance, and real-time monitoring systems to ensure the integrity of the counting process. Strict adherence to guidelines is being maintained across all centres.
Initial trends are expected to emerge within the first few hours, with clearer leads and potential winners likely to be identified by the afternoon. Final results across states are anticipated by late evening.
Political analysts are closely watching voter trends, turnout patterns, and constituency-level swings, which could redefine political strategies ahead of upcoming national contests.
