Assembly Election Results 2026: How votes are counted in India; step-by-step process explained

The Election Commission of India will announce the results of the 2026 Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry on May 4. The final outcome is likely to be known by Monday evening, after the usual process of counting postal ballots first, followed by votes recorded in EVMs.

Here is a step by steps process of how counting is being done.

Counting Day Begins Early

• Vote counting typically begins at 8:00 AM
• Counting centres are arranged for each constituency
• Entry is restricted to authorised personnel and counting agents only
• The process starts simultaneously across all seats nationwide

Postal Ballots Counted First

• The process begins with postal ballots
• These votes are counted before opening EVMs
• Early trends often emerge from this stage

EVM Counting Begins

• Each Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) stores votes from a particular polling station
• The machines are opened sequentially in multiple rounds
• Every round covers votes from several polling stations
• The results are displayed on the control unit and then recorded.

VVPAT Verification

• VVPAT slips from selected polling stations are verified
• This ensures that EVM votes match paper trail records
• Adds an extra layer of transparency

Round-Wise Updates and Trends

• Counting continues in multiple rounds
• Trends become clearer as more rounds are completed

Final Result Declaration

• Once all rounds are completed, total votes are compiled
• The candidate with the highest votes is declared the winner
• The Returning Officer normally announces the result