India's vote count begins

New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) A mass of Indian officials Friday morning began counting the millions of votes polled in the staggered Lok Sabha election, officials said.

Tens of thousands of officials began the formal counting at 8 a.m. in 989 centres across the country, watched by agents of the candidates as well as security personnel.

An estimated 550 million electorate, or 66 percent of the total, voted in the election that ended May 12 to elect a new 543-member Lok Sabha.

Exit polls at the end of the staggered polls have predicted a win for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

A total of 8,251 candidates, including 668 women, contested the battle for the 16th Lok Sabha.