The electoral fate of 699 candidates in the Delhi Assembly elections were sealed on Wednesday as at least 60 per cent of 1.56 crore voters exercised their franchise to choose their government either from ruling AAP or BJP.
The voting took place between 7 am and 6 pm in 70 constituencies, without major incidents though leaders and workers keeping a vigil on polling booths accused each other of malpractices.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among the VIPs who exercised their franchise in the capital. Kejriwal came to vote with his family, including his ageing parents.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar also voted in the capital with their families. Kumar said everyone has worked very hard for the smooth conduct of polls.
AAP levelled allegations of the BJP distributing money, police preventing voters from reaching polling stations and election officers turning their eyes away from irregularities to help its rivals. The Election Commission and police denied all allegations.
A BJP leader’s allegation that people wearing burqas were attempting fraudulent voting led to high drama in Seelampur but police denied the allegations. Congress alleged that both AAP and BJP committed “blatant violations” of Model Code of Conduct while the EC “watched in silence”.
At 12 midnight, the Voter Turnout app of the EC showed a voting percentage of 60.44 per cent with six – East Delhi, North-East Delhi, Northwest Delhi, Shahdara, Southwest Delhi and West Delhi – of the 11 districts showing a turnout of over 60 per cent.
All five constituencies in the Northeast district together polled 66.25 per cent while the Southeast district with seven seats polled the least at 56.31 per cent.
In 2020, Delhi had recorded 62.59 per cent voter turnout when AAP won 62 seats and the rest eight were bagged by the BJP. The final voting percentage for this election would be known only by Thursday.
Among the constituencies, Mustafabad polled the maximum of 69 per cent while the least was in Karol Bagh at 47.4 per cent. There were 42 constituencies that had over 60 per cent polling, which included Babarpur, Badli, Chhattarpur, Mundka, Palam, Rohini, Rajinder Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Seelampur, Seemapuri, Uttam Nagar, Mangolpuri, Dwarka, Matiala and Rajouri Garden.
New Delhi seat where Kejriwal is locked in a keen contest against BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit polled 56.41 per cent while Kalkaji where Atishi is seeking reelection saw a turnout of 54.59 per cent. Jangpura, where the former Deputy Chief Minister is fighting, polled 57.42 per cent.
Posh areas of Greater Kailash, where Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj was contesting, also did not cross 60 per cent mark as it settled for 54.5 per cent.
AAP and BJP exuded confidence that they would win the electoral battle while Congress leaders claimed they would see a better performance while hoping to win a couple of seats. The outcome could also have a bearing on the future of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc as top leaders of the Congress had gone on an offensive against Kejriwal and AAP.