US lawmakers are set to meet on Wednesday to confirm Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election amid protests from Trump supporters, reports BBC.
A joint session of Congress will count and confirm electoral college votes. Some Republicans have pledged to support President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the result by formally objecting at the session, in a bid that is almost certain to fail.
Hundreds of National Guard members are being mobilised.
Supporters of Mr Trump have begun gathering in Washington DC to rally against the certification of his defeat, and counter-protests are expected.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Mr Trump announced that he would be speaking at the "Save America Rally" the following day.
He has refused to concede the 3 November election, repeatedly alleging fraud without providing any evidence. He has also tried to throw doubt on the integrity of Tuesday's senate run-off vote in the southern, traditionally Republican, state of Georgia. Projections by US TV networks suggest the Democrats have won one of the seats and are neck and neck for the second seat.
If the Democrats win both seats they will have control of the Senate - something that will help Mr Biden push forward his agenda after he is inaugurated as president on 20 January.
The two houses of Congress - the House of Representatives and the Senate - will hold a joint session on Wednesday, where they will open sealed certificates from the 50 US states containing a record of their electoral votes.
Under the US system, voters cast their ballots for "electors", who in turn formally vote for the candidates weeks after the election. Mr Biden received 306 votes under the electoral college system, to Mr Trump's 232. mediacaptionHow an election is supposed to be certified Bipartisan representatives from the two chambers will read out the results on Wednesday and do an official count.
There is a split in the Republican party, with dozens of House Republicans and a smaller group of Senators expected to object to the count from some of the key swing states.
Ted Cruz is leading a group of about a dozen senators calling for a 10-day delay to audit unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud. Vice-President Mike Pence - who as president of the Senate is due to oversee the session and declare Mr Biden the winner - said he welcomed the move. He stopped short of repeating allegations of fraud but his chief of staff said Mr Pence shared what he called "the concerns of millions of Americans about voter fraud and irregularities".
By US election law, Mr Pence's duty in the proceedings is purely administrative, but Mr Trump has urged his vice-president to "come through".
Objections that are endorsed by a member of the House of Representatives and a member of the Senate must be considered by lawmakers in a two-hour debate, followed by a vote.
However, for an objection to be upheld, a majority in both chambers must vote in favour. Republicans hold the majority in the Senate but some of their members have already said they will not contest the results. Democrats are in the majority in the House.
Top Republicans have said the Senate's role in certifying the election is largely ceremonial and should not be an opportunity for further lengthy debate about the result. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already recognisedMr Biden's victory and asked other Republicans not to object.
