Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: PM Modi Wins In Varanasi, Congress Remains In Nervous 90s, SP Third Largest Party

The BJP is leading on 206 seats and has won 35 seats, while the Congress is ahead on 92 seats and has won seven seats, according to the latest Election Commission data.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won his Varanasi constituency by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. However, this margin is lesser than the 2014 and 2019 elections.

Samajwadi Party (SP) is emerging as the third largest party in the country with a lead in 34 seats of Uttar Pradesh, while Trinamool Congress is following with a lead in 29 seats.

The Lok Sabha elections were held from 19 April to 1 June in seven phases, to elect all 543 members of the Lok Sabha.

Addressing a press conference on Monday (3 June), Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said, "Rules clearly state (Rule 54A) that postal ballot count will start first. On all centres in the country it will start first, no doubt about it. After half-an-hour we start the EVM count. So, there are three countings which are happening simultaneously -- it happened in the 2019 elections, it happened in all the assembly polls held thereafter. It happened yesterday also in case of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim assembly (vote count). We can't change anything mid course. Why can't we change, because it is compliant with the rules".

Under Rule 54 A of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961, the counting of postal ballot papers starts first at the Returning Officer's (RO) table. 

Only the Control Unit (CU) of the EVM used in the polling station is required for the counting of votes along with Form 17C. 

Since 2019, VVPAT (paper-trail machine) slips from five randomly selected polling stations per assembly constituency (or segment in cases of Lok Sabha seats) are matched with the EVM count for greater transparency. 

Counting of VVPAT slips will start only after completion of counting of votes from CUs.

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