Delhi Assembly elections see 57.89% voter turnout amid allegations of malpractices
New Delhi: The national capital witnessed a voter turnout of 57.89 per cent in the Assembly elections held on Wednesday, approximately five percentage points lower than the 2020 turnout of 62.59 per cent. The elections were marked by allegations of voter fraud, money distribution, and fake voting, with both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing each other of electoral misconduct.
Despite the controversy, polling stations across Delhi saw long queues from early morning, with voters still waiting in line past the scheduled closing time of 6 pm. The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi noted that the final voter turnout figures would be updated as data from all 13,766 polling stations was compiled.
“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 from the Election Commission of India (ECI) read. “All voters in the queue after formal closing hours of polling, i.e., 6 pm, were allowed to cast their vote,” the statement added.
Exit poll results began rolling in shortly after voting ended, with several surveys predicting a strong showing for the BJP against the incumbent AAP. The Congress, which failed to win a single seat in 2020, was projected to perform poorly once again.
A total of 699 candidates are contesting in this election, which will determine whether AAP secures a fourth consecutive term or if the BJP returns to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years. The Congress also made significant efforts to regain its political foothold in the city.
Several prominent figures were among the early voters, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and Union ministers S Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as well as Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, also exercised their franchise.
After casting his vote in Moti Bagh, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar praised the efforts made for the smooth conduct of elections.
The polling process was marred by allegations and counter-allegations between the AAP and the BJP. Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) confirmed that polling was “going on smoothly,” with some Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) replaced during mock polls and actual voting.
In Seelampur, a BJP leader alleged that some individuals in burqas attempted fraudulent voting, but Delhi Police denied the claims. Similarly, two men in Kasturba Nagar were apprehended on suspicion of fake voting, and investigations were underway.
In another incident, AAP leader Manish Sisodia accused BJP workers of distributing money in Jangpura and shared a purported video on X. However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Ankit Chauhan stated that an investigation found no evidence of voter bribery.
AAP candidate from Greater Kailash, Saurabh Bharadwaj, alleged that police had barricaded the Chirag Dilli area, preventing voters from reaching polling stations. A video shared by Bharadwaj showed a woman stranded in an autorickshaw near the barricades. The police refuted the claim, stating that only elderly and differently-abled individuals were allowed to be dropped off closer to polling stations.
The Delhi BJP, in a post on X, accused AAP workers of setting fire to a party worker’s shanty in Kalandar Colony, Shahdara constituency. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva claimed that AAP was resorting to “fake voting” out of desperation and urged voters to be cautious.
BJP’s candidate for the New Delhi seat, Parvesh Verma, accused Sisodia of “hooliganism” and shared a video allegedly showing the AAP leader confronting BJP workers. “Scared of defeat, AAP leaders are now showing their pettiness,” Verma posted on X.
Among those who voted in this election were first-time voters, the elderly, and transgender individuals who enthusiastically exercised their franchise. In Majnu-ka-Tilla, Pakistani Hindu refugees who had gained Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act cast their votes for the first time in India.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, contesting from the New Delhi seat for the fourth time, urged citizens to vote for “good schools, hospitals, and development.” Kejriwal, accompanied by his wife and son, told reporters, “My parents have health issues, but they were very excited about voting since morning.”
His wife, Sunita Kejriwal, added, “People are very intelligent and will make the right choice. They won’t tolerate hooliganism.”
New Delhi district election officials addressed concerns about polling agents not being relieved on time. “On-ground verification revealed that polling agents inside were unwilling to come out, which prevented relievers from being accommodated,” the office stated on X. Sector officers and presiding officers were instructed to ensure a smoother process.
Meanwhile, a woman in Jafrabad alleged that someone had cast a vote in her name. Police discovered that another woman with a similar name, living as a tenant in her house, had mistakenly voted in her stead. After verification, both were allowed to vote.
