New Delhi: The electoral destiny of three principal political parties and 699 candidates has been decided as more than 60.42% of Delhi’s 1.56 million voters voted in assembly elections on Wednesday to elect members for the 70-member assembly . Voter turnout figures, provisional and updated at 11:30 PM, are provisional and may be changed by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Lowest Voter Turnout Since 2008
This year’s voter turnout is the lowest in over a decade, falling below the 67.5% recorded in 2015 and the 62.8% seen in 2020. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections held in May saw an even lower turnout of 58.6%. The last time Delhi recorded a turnout below 60% was in 2008, when only 57.8% of eligible voters participated.
Election Commission staff confirmed that the turnout was less good than anticipated, but cautioned against hasty conclusions. A number of factors contribute to voter turnout and most are political. Final numbers will provide a clearer picture, an official stated.
Polling Process and Security Measures
Polls started by 7 AM, and records of polls from the first 2 hours show a gradual pickup. By 11 AM, 20% of voters had cast their ballots, reaching 46.5% by 3 PM. The final tally at 5 PM stood at 57.7%, with polling stations remaining open for voters who arrived before closing time.
ECI director Anuj Chandak explained that post-poll measures, such as procurement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and examination of required statutory documents, would potentially lead to a back-end delay in the declaration of final turnout data. Sometimes polling stations do not deliver on the day, for which the final counts may be adjusted after review,” he said.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, all patrolled a steady supervision to conduct the poll in a peaceable and streamlined way. The polling process was largely incident-free, with no reported cases of violence.
Voter Turnout by Constituency
Muslim-dominated Mustafabad recorded the highest voter turnout at 69%, slightly exceeding the 66.8% seen in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but falling short of the 70.8% turnout in 2020. Seelampur followed with 68.7%, while the reserved constituency of Seemapuri registered 65.3%.
On the lower end, Mehrauli witnessed the lowest turnout at *53%, followed by Model Town at 53.4%. Due to queues witnessed in some outer Delhi polling stations in the evening, final voter figures seem to point towards slight uptick.
Triangular Political Battle: AAP, BJP, and Congress
This election saw a fierce contest between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Indian National Congress (INC).
AAP’s Campaign Focus
In a bid to secure a third consecutive mandate, AAP highlighted its successes in development of education, healthcare, water supply and free electricity. The party also gave prominence to its efforts on free power and water schemes and to free bus rides for women. It promised policy changes “new welfare initiatives for women, senior citizens and others” for the sake of citizens.
BJP’s Promise of a ‘Double-Engine Government’
The BJP, after 26 years of not being in power in Delhi, campaigned on “continuing the ongoing welfare schemes” and “introducing new benefits”. That party announced that through its central government’s development programs, better infrastructures are going to be provided. It claimed to be the ideal solution for accelerated improvement under a BJP-governed State andcentral &BJP-governed State andcentral government in unison.
Congress’s Revival Effort
The Congress party, which ruled Delhi from 1998 to 2013 under Sheila Dikshit, tried to regain lost ground by reminding voters of its past achievements. It promised various free schemes targeting all sections of society.
Key Candidates in the Fray
Among the leading contenders in this election are:.
- **AAP: Chief Minister Atishi, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj, Imran Hussain, Mukesh Ahlawat, and Raghuvinder Shokeen .
- **BJP: Senior leaders Vijender Gupta, former MPs Ramesh Bidhuri and Parvesh Verma.
- **Congress: The Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav, former minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, Rajkumar Chauhan, Sandeep Dikshit and Haroon Yusuf.
What’s Next? Counting Day on February 8
Voting will be counted on February 8th, and if a landslide occurs, then the new government will be formed on February 11th.
Election officers have pledged that the voting was peaceful and orderly. All 70 assembly constituencies voted in a festive setting. Voters appreciated the seamless experience and facilities at polling stations, said Anuj Chandak.
securing a majority and forming the government.
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