Vote counting for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election will take place on May 4 across 62 counting centres. Officials said the process will begin at 8 am, starting with postal ballots.
Around 15,000 staff have been deployed for counting, with training and instructions already issued. Each Assembly constituency will have an election observer, and the counting will be conducted under the supervision of the Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officer.
Counting tables will be arranged constituency-wise, with 14 to 24 tables depending on requirements. Each table will have four personnel: a supervisor, a micro-observer, an assistant and a computer assistant.
For postal ballots, the total number received in a constituency will be announced at the start. One table will be set up for every 500 postal ballots, which will be separated into valid and invalid votes based on prescribed checks.
Half an hour after postal ballot counting begins, EVM vote counting will start. The strong room seal will be opened at 8 am in the presence of candidates’ agents, and results for each round will be uploaded online and displayed on the notice board at the counting centre. Leads are expected to emerge from 9 am, with fuller trends likely from around 11 am.
