Security personnel stand guard outside a strongroom ahead of vote counting for the MLC election, in Patna on Monday. (ANI Photo)Counting of votes for 28 Legislative Council seats across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka began on Tuesday, with security tightened at counting centres. In Uttar Pradesh, counting is underway for five graduate and six teachers’ constituencies, while Maharashtra is witnessing contests for five seats, Karnataka for four and Bihar for eight.Voting for Members of Legislative Councils (MLCs) is restricted to designated electorates, including registered graduates, teachers and local authority representatives. Elections to 28 seats across the Legislative Councils of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka were held on October 23, with results scheduled to be declared on Tuesday.Story continues below this adBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Awanish Kumar Singh expressed confidence in his party’s victory in the Lucknow Graduates’ constituency, while Samajwadi Party candidate Sushil Kumar urged officials to ensure impartiality during counting. In Bihar, Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh raised concerns over the alleged absence of CCTV cameras and poor conditions at the Patna Graduates’ constituency counting centre, saying he had approached the returning officer over the issue.Counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh began at 8 am on Tuesday amid tight security, with the contests being seen as a prestige battle between the ruling BJP and the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The counting is taking place across seven districts: Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Jhansi, Bareilly and Gorakhpur.In Uttar Pradesh, the elections covered five graduate and six teachers’ constituencies and recorded a voter turnout of 55.24 per cent. Polling was marked by allegations of malpractice, voter intimidation and misuse of government machinery, with the SP accusing the BJP of irregularities while BJP leaders alleged that the SP had fielded ineligible candidates.In Bihar, elections to eight Legislative Council seats have emerged as a test for the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with a divided Opposition and the entry of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party adding a new dimension to the contests. The results are also being viewed as a political barometer of support among graduates, teachers and professionals ahead of future electoral battles.Live UpdatesOct 27, 2026 09:57 AM ISTSecurity tightened at Gorakhpur counting centre ahead of MLC vote countingSecurity was tightened around the MLC vote-counting centre in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, with multi-layered barricading and police deployment ahead of the counting process.#watch | Gorakhpur, UP: Security tightened around the counting centre ahead of MLC vote counting, with multi-layered barricading and deployment of police. https://t.co/ex274JdkYf— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2026Oct 27, 2026 09:50 AM ISTCounting underway for two Pune MLC seats at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports ComplexVote counting for two Maharashtra Legislative Council seats — Pune Graduates’ and Pune Teachers’ constituencies — is underway at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune. Visuals from the counting centre were shared by the District Information Office (DIO).#watch | Maharashtra MLC elections | Visuals from Pune's Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex counting centre in Pune, where votes will be counted for two MLC seats- Graduates' and Teacher'constituencies of the Pune Division. (Video source: DIO) https://t.co/jfQmiRQ4uq— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2026Oct 27, 2026 09:49 AM ISTCounting begins for five Maharashtra MLC seats amid alliance tensions, rebel bidsCounting of votes for five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats began on Tuesday after polling on October 23, with 182 candidates contesting across three graduates’ and two teachers’ constituencies. The election recorded an overall turnout of 72.96% across 2,419 polling stations, with the Amravati Teachers’ constituency registering the highest turnout at 92.6%. The results are expected to indicate the strength of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) among graduates and teachers.The contests have been marked by rebel candidates and differences within the ruling alliance. In Pune Teachers’, the BJP’s candidate is facing the sitting Congress MLC, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is backing an Independent candidate. In Amravati Teachers’, BJP rebels are contesting against the official Shiv Sena candidate and the Congress nominee. The preferential voting system could make transfers of subsequent preferences decisive if no candidate secures the required quota on first-preference votes.- With ANI InputsOct 27, 2026 09:48 AM ISTCounting begins for four Karnataka MLC seats amid Congress-BJP-JD(S) contestCounting of votes for four Karnataka Legislative Council seats began on Tuesday following polling on October 23. The constituencies are South-East Graduates’, West Graduates’, North-East Teachers’ and Bengaluru Teachers’. A total of 43 candidates are in the fray, with voter turnout ranging from 73.58% in the South-East Graduates’ constituency to 86.97% in the North-East Teachers’ constituency.The elections have witnessed a direct contest between the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) alliance. The BJP has fielded candidates in three constituencies, while the JD(S) is contesting the Bengaluru Teachers’ seat. The BJP currently holds three of the four seats, while the Congress is seeking to retain its lone seat and make gains elsewhere. Though the results are not expected to affect the state government’s stability, they are being viewed as a test of the Opposition alliance’s coordination ahead of future electoral contests.- With PTI InputsOct 27, 2026 09:48 AM ISTCounting begins for 11 UP MLC seats amid tight securityCounting of votes for 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats — five graduates’ and six teachers’ constituencies — began at 8 am on Tuesday amid tight security, an official said. The counting is taking place across seven districts: Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Jhansi, Bareilly and Gorakhpur. CCTV cameras and videography have been arranged to monitor the process, with returning officers and election observers overseeing the proceedings.The five graduates’ constituencies are Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut and Allahabad-Jhansi, while the six teachers’ constituencies are Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, Bareilly-Moradabad and Gorakhpur-Faizabad. The elections, held on October 23 through ballot papers, are being viewed as a contest between the ruling BJP and the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.- With PTI InputsOct 27, 2026 09:47 AM ISTCounting begins for 28 MLC seats across UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, KarnatakaCounting of votes for 28 Legislative Council seats across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka began on Tuesday, following polling on October 23. In Uttar Pradesh, elections were held for five graduates’ and six teachers’ constituencies, while Maharashtra saw contests for five seats and Karnataka for four. Bihar is counting votes for eight seats, comprising four graduates’ and four teachers’ constituencies.Security was tightened at counting centres, including in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party candidate Sushil Kumar urged the administration to ensure an impartial counting process, while Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh raised concerns over the alleged absence of CCTV cameras and unhygienic conditions at the Patna counting centre. BJP candidate Awanish Kumar Singh expressed confidence in his party’s prospects in the Lucknow graduates’ constituency.- With ANI InputsOct 27, 2026 09:46 AM ISTCounting begins for eight Bihar MLC seats amid tight securityCounting of votes for biennial elections to eight Bihar Legislative Council seats began at 8 am on Tuesday amid tight security, an official said. The results will determine the electoral fate of 150 candidates — 90 in four graduates’ constituencies and 60 in four teachers’ constituencies. Polling on October 23 recorded a turnout of 82.85% in teachers’ constituencies and 53.42% in graduates’ seats.The four graduates’ constituencies are Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi, while the teachers’ seats are in Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran. The ruling BJP has fielded candidates for four seats, while its ally JD(U) is contesting the other four. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party is contesting all eight seats. The terms of the eight sitting MLCs expire on November 16.- With PTI Inputs© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd