Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: The counting of votes in 542 Lok Sabha constituencies on Thursday (today) is underway. Most exit polls have also predicted a comfortable majority for the BJP-led NDA whose campaign was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opposition, however, has rejected the exit polls, calling them wrong and erroneous.

The counting exercise will begin at 8 am, capping a two-month long election process which witnessed high-octane campaigning and charges of tampering EVMs and violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Trends are expected to be available shortly thereafter. Counting of votes will also take place for four state Assemblies -- Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, which went to polls along with the general elections.

Twenty-two opposition parties had on Tuesday knocked the Election Commission's doors to press their demand for counting of five VVPAT samples first and also taking up 100 percent counting of VVPATs in case of any mismatch with an EVM.

The EC on Wednesday rejected the opposition demand.The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections commenced on April 11 and the last phase of voting was held on May 19. The dates were announced by the EC on March 10, following which the MCC had come into effect.Over 8,000 candidates are in the fray for 542 Lok Sabha seats across the country.

Among the keenly watched constituencies will be Varanasi from where Prime Minister Modi is seeking re-election and Amethi represented by Congress president Rahul Gandhi since 2004. Rahul is also contesting from Wayanad in Kerala. His mother Sonia Gandhi is also seeking another term from Raebareli.

In the two-month long election process, leaders cutting across party lines were engaged in a high-decibel campaign, making promises and launching attacks on their opponents in a bid to woo the voters.