Vote Counting Underway for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

The counting of votes for 542 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general elections began at 8 am. A record 642 million voters, including 312 million women, participated. The massive electoral process was overseen by 68,000 monitoring teams and secured by 15 million personnel. Early trends show the BJP-led NDA leading, with the re-election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi seen as likely. Congress hopes for a different outcome than predicted by exit polls. The stock markets reacted positively, anticipating policy continuity under Modi. The final results are eagerly awaited.