NEW DELHI: The counting of votes in the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur Assembly elections will begin at 8 am today. An indication of the final mandate of Manipur and Uttarakhand will be clear by 10 am. In Goa, the counting of votes will end at 11 am. The situation in Punjab will be clear by noon. In UP, which has 403 seats, the lead will be clear by noon but results in all constituencies will take time.

All eyes are on Uttar Pradesh in this Assembly election described as the semi-finals ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Exit polls predict Yogi Adityanath-led BJP to stay in power and in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is projected to overthrow the Congress. In Manipur, the BJP has the upper hand. In Uttarakhand, where the Congress and the BJP are in direct contest, it will be close.. Surveys have predicted the possibility of a hung cabinet in Goa, which has a 40-member assembly.