Counting Of Votes In Five States On Thursday

Political parties were bracing for the assembly election results on Thursday in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and politically volatile Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, sending out feelers for possible post-poll tie-ups. On the eve of the counting of votes, the Election Commission announced the removal of three officials, including the nodal officer for EVMs in Varanasi, after a massive controversy erupted over Samajwadi Party's allegation that electronic voting machines were being shifted in an unauthorised manner.