Counting Begins for 28 Legislative Council Seats Across UP, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka

Polling for the seats was held on October 23, and initial trends were expected to emerge within hours of the counting process beginning.

The elections cover Graduate and Teachers’ constituencies across the four states, with candidates from major political parties, Independents and party rebels competing for seats.

Uttar Pradesh: 152 Candidates Contest 11 Seats

Counting is underway for 11 Legislative Council seats in Uttar Pradesh, where 152 candidates are in the fray. The elections cover five Graduates’ constituencies and six Teachers’ constituencies, with 14,81,310 registered voters.

Authorities established 2,697 polling stations across 72 districts for the electoral exercise. Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat and Unnao were excluded from the process.

The main contest is between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), although Independent candidates and party rebels are also in the race.

The election has also drawn attention following reported ECI action over alleged lapses during polling in the Agra Teachers’ constituency. According to media reports, the commission on Monday ordered the immediate suspension of six supervisory officers and initiated disciplinary proceedings against five presiding officers and 16 police personnel over alleged dereliction of duty and supervisory failures.

Bihar: Counting for Eight Seats Under Tight Security

In Bihar, counting began at 8 a.m. for eight Legislative Council seats, covering four Graduates’ constituencies and four Teachers’ constituencies. A total of 150 candidates are contesting the elections.

Security has been tightened at the counting centre, with entry restricted to authorised pass-holders and mobile phones prohibited inside.

Magistrate Anugya told IANS that officials were checking all individuals entering the premises, including representatives, counting agents and staff members, to ensure compliance with security requirements.

Of the 150 candidates, 90 are contesting the four Graduates’ constituencies and 60 are in the four Teachers’ constituencies.

Polling recorded a turnout of 82.85 per cent in the Teachers’ constituencies and 53.42 per cent in the Graduates’ constituencies. The results will determine the electoral prospects of candidates fielded by the BJP, Janata Dal (United) and other parties.

Maharashtra: 182 Candidates in the Fray

Maharashtra is counting votes for five Legislative Council seats contested by 182 candidates.

The election covers three Graduates’ constituencies — Pune, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar — and two Teachers’ constituencies in Pune and Amravati.

The results are being closely watched as the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi seek to consolidate their positions across the constituencies.

Karnataka: Four Seats Across 17 Districts

Karnataka is witnessing counting for four Legislative Council seats covering 17 districts. The principal contest is between the Congress and the BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance.

The constituencies include Bengaluru and North-East Teachers’ seats, along with West and South-East Graduates’ seats.

The results across the four states are expected to provide an indication of the relative strength of the competing parties in these specialised electoral constituencies, where voting is restricted to eligible graduates and teachers.