The counting of votes for Lok Sabha elections and Assembly polls in 4 states – Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be taken up today. It will begin at 8 AM.

Election Commission said, counting will take place at 989 centres. Postal ballots will be counted first which will be followed by Electronic Voting Machines, EVMs. Counting is likely to be completed by 5 PM but trends will be available by 11 AM or before.

By noon, a picture could emerge on who will be the major players in the 16th Lok Sabha. About 8,000 candidates are in the fray for 543 Lok Sabha seats.

This was for the first time that the option of 'none of the above' or NOTA was introduced in the Lok Sabha polls on the direction of the Supreme Court. Talking to AIR, Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said elaborate arrangements have been made for smooth counting of votes at all centres across the country.

He said, each counting table will have a micro observer to monitor the counting process and after every round, the result sheet will be provided to the candidates.

The 2014 Lok Sabha elections witnessed the highest-ever turnout of 66 per cent.