Guwahati, May 23 (UNI) Counting of votes for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Assam began at 0800 hours today.
Counting is being conducted in 51 centres across the state under tight security arrangements.
Besides the counting officials and Election Commission observers, polling agents of all candidates are present at the counting venues.
The counting process began with the opening of the postal ballots first, which will be followed by counting of votes cast through the EVMs.
After the completion of EVM counting, VVPATs of five randomly selected polling stations per Legislative Assembly Constituency will be counted and tallied with the EVM result.
This could delay official declaration of results, the sources added.
Altogether 145 candidates, including eight sitting MPs, are in fray for the 14 seats.
The state had gone to the polls in three phases on April 11, 18 and 23, with 81% voter turnout recorded in largely peaceful polling.
This was the highest ever polling in a Lok Sabha election in the state.
The ruling BJP has contested this election in alliance with its coalition partners Asom Gana Parisahd (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), with the BJP fielding its candidates in 10 seats, AGP in three and BPF in one.
Main Opposition party Congress had decided to go alone in the polls and fielded candidates in all 14 seats in the state.
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which has three MPs in the outgoing Lok Sabha, had restricted itself to contesting in only those three constituencies.
In the last Lok Sabha polls in 2014, BJP had won seven seats, Congress and AIUDF had bagged three each and one was won by an Independent.
UNI SG RN