May 4, 2026
Vote counting gets underway
Counting of votes began in four states, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the smaller territory of Puducherry, at 8 a.m. local time (0230 GMT).
The Election Commission of India has deployed additional counting and police observers in West Bengal, where a close contest is expected. A three-tier security arrangement, including armored vehicles, has been put in place in the eastern state. Several local businesses and schools have remained closed for the day amid speculation that violence could erupt if the incumbent party loses.
Early trends have already started coming in, and I will expand on that in a separate post. A clearer view will emerge sometime midday.
Once multiple rounds of counting are completed, the Election Commission will announce the final winners for each constituency.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DC8n
Welcome to our coverage
Good morning! And welcome to DW’s India news blog.
This is Mahima Kapoor from the New Delhi bureau, and I will be bringing you all major updates and conversations from across India.
India’s weather department has issued a ‘red’ alert for severe thunderstorms and hailstorms in New Delhi, while parts of the National Capital Region have been put under an ‘orange’ alert. West Bengal, too, is experiencing stormy winds and bursts of rainfall.
My poetic alter ego would say the weather merely reflects the expected upheaval in Indian politics.
Vote counting is underway today in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry. Some of these regions recorded historic voter turnouts after an aggressive season of campaigning for high-stakes polls.
Projections suggest mixed outcomesin West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to make inroads in three states where it has never held power.
Some suggest the BJP will make inroads in states like Assam, while others point to regional parties holding their ground in key battlegrounds — setting the stage for results that could reshape India’s political map.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DC8m
