VB Election Coverage: Here are all the updates from Chhattisgarh's Assembly Election 2023
New Delhi: Vote counting for three key states in the heartland and one significant southern state, considered a crucial indicator before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, is set to commence at 8 am.
The Mizoram votes, initially scheduled for counting on Sunday, will now take place on Monday following objections raised about the Sunday counting schedule.
Based on the exit polls, the state of Chhattisgarh with 90 seats appears to be the only region where the Congress party may find some respite. The party is relying on the track record of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who successfully revitalized the party in the state following the tragic 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack.
Here are all the updates from Chhattisgarh's vote counting for 2023 Assembly Elections:
6:00 PM: Results of 23 constituencies in Chhattisgarh declared: BJP wins 15 seats, leads in 40; Congress wins 8, leading in 27
5:20 PM: Major setback for Congress as Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo loses Ambikapur to BJP candidate Rajesh Agrawal
5:05 PM: As BJP awaits declaration of its victory in Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah thanks the people of the state, saying tribal, poor, farmer sisters and brothers of Chhattisgarh have expressed faith in PM Modi and blessed BJP with a huge majority.
4:40 PM: BJP senior leader Om Mathur, who is the party's election in-charge in Chhattisgarh, says on X, "Victory of BJP in Chhattisgarh assembly elections is due to the hardwork of party workers and PM Modi's welfare policies."
4:20 PM: At Round 14, Rajnandgaon sees former CM and BJP candidate Raman Singh ahead of Congress candidate Girish Dewangan by more than 42,000 votes and Independent candidate Makhan Yadav, who is at third position
4:00 PM: Union Minister Anurag Thakur attributes Congress defeat in Chhattisgarh to illegal activities in administration, adding, "Chhattisgarh had become ATM for Congress. There were so many paper leaks, including 19 in Rajasthan. People had lost trust in Congress government."
3:45 PM: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel retains Patan, defeating BJP candidate and distant relative Vijay Baghel - although Congress struggles to retain state, trailing BJP
3:20 PM: Brijmohan Agrawal, BJP candidate from Raipur City South in Chhattisgarh, says in a video on 'X', "I would like to credit the guarantees of PM Modi for this victory," as BJP retains its lead in the state. Congress trails by 20 seats, at 34.
1:45 PM: In spite of tough fight from Congress with 42% vote share, BJP remains in the lead in Chhattisgarh with 46% share for more than two-and-a-half hours now – stands ahead in 55 seats; Congress in 32; with GGP, BSP, CPI leading on 1 seat each
1:10 PM: Deputy CM TS Singh Deo of Congress at second position in Ambikapur; BJP candidate Rajesh Agrawal leads by 1,623-vote margin
12:50 PM: Former CM Raman Singh of BJP gains 20,625-vote lead over Congress' Girish Dewangan in Rajnandgaon; BJP leads on 53 seats in state, Congress on 36, GGP on 1
12:40 PM: Congress candidate Kawasi Lakhma overtakes CPI candidate Manish Kunjam, gains 504-vote lead in Konta constituency
12:30 PM: CM Bhupesh Baghel leads again on Patan, with 1,452 vote margin, although party leads only on 34 seats; BJP 20 seats ahead
12:15 PM: Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate says Congress will make a comeback and numbers will change in Chhattisgarh
12:00 PM: Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) gains first lead, ahead on Pali Tanakhar seat; BJP leads on 52, Congress on 36, CPI on 1
11:45 AM: Vijay Baghel of BJP regains lead over CM Bhupesh Baghel in Patan constituency
11:30 AM: Manish Kunjam of CPI ahead in Konta even as other parties struggle to take lead over Congress and BJP
11:15 AM: BJP ahead in 45 seats; gains 1-seat lead over Congress
11:00 AM: Congress falls below half-way mark, stands at 45
10:45 AM: BJP inches up; leads on 42 seats as Congress' lead reduces to 48. BSP still yet to open surge; other parties gain lead on 2 seats
10:35 AM: Former CM Raman Singh of BJP trails in Rajnandgaon constituency; Congress candidate Girish Dewangan in the lead
10:25 AM: Breather for CM Bhupesh Baghel: Marginal lead over BJP's Vijay Baghel, as close contest continues at Patan
10:15 AM: Congress loses lead on 2 seats – now ahead in 52 seats; BJP ahead in 37 seats
10:00 AM: "This is the day of people's mandate...," Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel posts on 'X' as he trails behind Vijay Baghel in Patan constituency
9:50 AM: Congress workers gather outside Raipur office, celebrate party's 24-seat lead over BJP in polls
9:40 AM: Congress on comfortable lead as postal ballot counting begins in Chhattisgarh, ahead in 54 seats as against 35-seat lead for BJP
9:25 AM: State sees frontline parties lead on one more state each - Congress at 54, BJP at 34 lead
9:10 AM: CM Baghel still trails in Patan, Vijay Baghel of BJP retains lead
9:00 AM: Congress crosses magic number in terms of lead; gains lead on 47 seats
8:50 AM: CM Bhupesh Baghel trails in Patan constituency, as Congress leads in 40 seats, BJP in 28 seats. Other parties, including BSP, are yet to begin surge in state
8:40 AM: Congress regains lead, ahead in 26 seats; BJP in 20
8:30 AM: In 39 seats in state, BJP leads in 20 seats, Congress in 19
8:25 AM: BJP overtakes Congress, with 16 seats; Congress leads in 14
8:21 AM: Congress leads in 10; BJP in 8 seats
8:16 AM: Update from 9 seats: Congress leads in 7 seats; BJP in 2
8:08 AM: First lead by Congress in state, in two seats
8:00 AM: Vote counting for 119 assembly constituencies kicks off in Chhattisgarh
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
