Section 84 of the Election Rules, 2017 outlines the procedure for the announcement of provisional results.

The announcement of the results is still being awaited hours after polling ended at 5pm on Friday for the general elections 2024.

The section is reproduced below:

• (1) The returning officer (RO) shall prepare the provisional consolidated statement of results of the count (excluding postal ballots) of the constituency, as required under section 92, in Form-47 on the basis of the results of the count received by him from presiding officers (PO) electronically under sub-section (2) of section 13 or personally whichever is earlier.
• (2) The RO shall make sure that result of the count furnished by PO is arithmetically error-free before accepting the same.
• (3) In case, the RO finds any error in the form, he shall ask the PO to rectify the error and sign the same in token of the fact that the error has been corrected by the PO himself:
• Provided that in the event of correction of form under this subrule, the PO shall resend electronically the scanned copy of the corrected form to the commission:
• Provided further that the RO shall keep copy of the said corrected Form and also place the same in the relevant packet.
• (4) After preparing the provisional consolidated statement of results of the count under sub-rule (1), the RO shall announce the same in the presence of such of the candidates, their election agents or authorised observers as may be present and shall affix a copy of such results at a conspicuous place in his office for information of general public:
• Provided that the RO shall forthwith communicate the scanned copy of the Form-47 containing provisional results to the commission electronically on or before 2am the day immediately following the polling day and if, for any reason, the results are incomplete by 2am on the day immediately following the polling day, the RO shall communicate to the commission provisional results as consolidated till that time along with reasons for the delay, in writing, while listing the polling stations from which results are awaited and thereafter shall send the complete provisional results as soon as compiled but not later than 10am
• Provided that where the RO forward a case against the defaulting presiding officer(s) that delivery of result has been inordinately delayed, the commission shall initiate disciplinary proceedings under Section 54 and 55 of the Act and remunerations due to presiding officer(s) shall be withheld and in case it is already paid shall be recoverable from his salary.