• Saturday, February 15, 2025

HEADLINE STORY

Delhi records 57.89 per cent voter turnout in assembly election

While the Aam Aadmi Party is eyeing a third straight term, banking on its governance record and welfare schemes, the BJP and Congress are looking for a resurgence

Voters wait to cast votes at a polling booth during the Delhi Assembly elections, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)

By: India Weekly

Delhi recorded 57.89 per cent voter turnout in the assembly polls on Wednesday (5) amid charges of malpractices including money distribution and fake voting.

The turnout is about five percentage points lower than the 2020 assembly polls (62.59 per cent) when the Arvind Kejriwal-led party won 62 seat of the 70 seats, while the BJP got eight and the Congress zero.

Long queues of voters were witnessed outside polling stations in different constituencies since early morning, and there were people still waiting after the scheduled time of close at 6 pm.

Polling was held in 13,766 stations to decide the fate of 699 candidates in a contest that could reshape the political landscape of the national capital.

While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is eyeing a third straight term, banking on its governance record and welfare schemes, the BJP and Congress are looking for a resurgence.

According to Delhi Chief Electoral officer, 57.89 per cent votes — there are 1.56 crore eligible voters — were polled by 5 pm. The percentage will go up as officials update the figures from all the 13,766 stations.

“All 70 Assembly constituencies of Delhi went to polls today in a peaceful and festive atmosphere. Voters were delighted with the seamless polling process and facilities at the polling stations,” an official statement of ECI said. “All voters in the queue after formal closing hours of polling i.e. 6 pm are allowed to cast their vote,” the statement said.

President Droupadi Murmu, vice president Jagdeep Dhankar, chief justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, union ministers S Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Delhi chief minister Atishi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal were among the early voters.

The AAP is seeking a third consecutive term, relying on its governance record and welfare schemes while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a determined push to reclaim the capital after more than 25 years.

The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years until 2013, is striving to stage a comeback after failing to win a single seat in the last two elections. (PTI)

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