Lok Sabha Elections: Opposition to discuss counting norms with ECI today

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Lok Sabha election came to a close on Saturday evening, the opposition INDIA bloc claimed after a meeting that as per its internal feedback it would win a minimum 295 seats. The opposition alliance demanded that the Election Commission of India (ECI) follow the laid out procedure, including counting postal ballots first and adhering to the Supreme Court's guidelines on counting a minimum five per cent of voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) per polling booth.

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An India bloc delegation will meet the ECI brass on Sunday to press its demand.

While deciding to deploy their poll booth agents on high alert to monitor the functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ensure proper distribution of form 17c (which contains the account of votes recorded at each polling station), the INDIA bloc meeting also reversed the Congress' decision to boycott the exit polls. The Congress' allies felt that a boycott would send out a negative message and help the BJP to further its narrative ahead of the counting of votes.

The meeting was also designed to demonstrate the India bloc's unity ahead of the results as most senior leaders, including the Gandhi trio and leaders of the main allies, barring Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress, were present at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. The participants decided that senior leaders be present in Delhi on June 4, when votes cast in the general election are to be counted.

Lok Sabha