Voting is underway in Australia to elect members of the 48th Parliament of the country. Polling is taking place for all 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 of the 76 seats in the Senate. The voting began at around 03:30 AM Indian Standard Time and will continue till 1:30 this afternoon.

Incumbent Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of the ruling Labor party, is seeking re-election for a second term. He is facing a strong challenge from leader of the conservative Liberal-National Coalition Peter Dutton. Moreover, Greens Leader Adam Bandt is making the contest tri-angular.

A large number of independent and minor parties are also seeking re-election and could become king-makers, if either major bloc falls short of a majority. The cost of living has emerged as the defining issue during the election in the country this time, with voters also expressing growing concern over the affordability of healthcare and housing.

Official results can take days or even weeks to come, but as soon as polls close, the Australian Electoral Commission will start releasing unofficial preliminary results, which historically indicates who will form the next government.

Labor Party returned to power in 2022 after nine years of Liberal-National coalition rule. Ruling Labor has promised more tax cuts, 20 per cent off on student debt and strong medical facilities if again voted to power. On the other hand, Conservative Coalition has raised the issue of rising cost of living and migration that has led to housing crisis.