No Victory Rallies Allowed: Election Observer Subrata Gupta on Assembly Poll Counting

Speaking to the reporters, Gupta said, "... Every complaint has been addressed. Some of the CCTV cameras malfunctioned for 5-10 minutes over technical reasons...No victory rally can be held today."

As early trends from the West Bengal Assembly elections came in around 9 am, a close contest emerged between the Bharatiya Janata Party (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the Trinamool Congress (All India Trinamool Congress). Both parties are currently showing about 112 leads each, according to early trends.

The EC has yet to release early trends.

In Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) held a narrow advantage over the AIADMK-led alliance, leading in about 55 seats compared to around 25 for the opposition bloc.

Meanwhile, in Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA alliance has achieved a massive lead over the Congress-led bloc with leads in 69 constituencies; meanwhile, the opposition alliance is ahead in 19.

Further, BJP candidate Arjun Singh from the Noapara constituency in West Bengal has alleged irregularities at the counting centre.

He claimed that neither he nor his election agent had been allowed entry while announcements were being made about opening the strong room, calling it a possible attempt at malpractice. He said the matter would be raised with the election observer, and a formal complaint would be filed.

"Till now the candidate or the election agent has not reached the counting centre, and they are making announcements that they are opening the strong room. This is an attempt to commit fraud. We will complain right now, we are going to the observer," he told ANI.

As the counting began, patrolling was being carried out with armoured vehicles in West Bengal's Malda; meanwhile, several strong rooms swiftly opened across Keralam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry before the beginning of the counting procedure.

- ANI