Delhi Assembly Elections: Live Updates

Manoj Tiwari rejects exit poll forecasts

New Delhi: Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari put up a brave face even as exit polls predicted a sweep for the AAP in the assembly polls, voting for which concluded Saturday evening, claiming his party will win ‘48 seats’ and form a government in the city.

Exit polls predict easy win for AAP

New Delhi:  Exit polls for the Delhi assembly election Saturday forecast a comfortable victory for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party despite a likely rise in tally for the BJP in the 70-member House.

The Times Now-Ipsos exit polls predicted that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will retain his chair with the AAP winning 44 seats against 26 for the BJP.

The Republic-Jan ki Baat survey gave the AAP 48-61 seats and the BJP 9-21 seats.

The TV9 Bharatvarsh-Cicero predicted 54 seats for the AAP, 15 for the BJP and one for the Congress.

The exit polls predicted little improvement in the fortunes of the Congress which could not bag any seat in the 2015 polls.

The AAP had scored an overwhelming victory in the 2015 polls, winning 67 seats and reducing the BJP to three.

Voter turnout 57.06% till 6pm

The voter turnout in the national capital, which was slow till 3:00 pm, picked up the momentum in the last few hours and reached 57.06 per cent by 6:00pm. The figure is likely to rise as polling still underway at some booths, said a poll official.

Minority-dominated seats witness highest voter turnout

New Delhi: The three minority-dominated seats of Mustafabad, Matia Mahal and Seelampur recorded the highest voter turnout in the Assembly elections here Saturday, polls officials said. According to the data shared by the officials, Mustafabad in northeast Delhi recorded 66.29 per cent voter turnout till 5:00pm.

Voter turnout 54% till 5pm

New Delhi: Delhi recorded a voter turnout of 54 per cent by 5:00pm Saturday, poll officials said. There was a rise in the voting percentage after initial sluggishness, especially in morning hours. Of the 11 districts, northeast Delhi recorded a turnout of 63.4 per cent, the highest, while New Delhi saw 44.29 per cent, the lowest.

Shaheen Bagh women protesters vote in batches 

New Delhi: On a sit-in for over a month against the Citizenship Amendment Act, women protesters at Shaheen Bagh voted in batches Saturday so that the agitation remains unaffected.  While some of the women voted in the morning, others chose to get their fingers inked in the afternoon and the remaining in the evening.

Alka Lamba tries to slap AAP worker, says he abused her

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Delhi Assembly elections, Alka Lamba, Congress candidate from the Chandni Chowk Assembly constituency Saturday tried to slap an AAP worker, saying he abused her in public.

Kejriwal’s constituency records low turnout till 4 pm

Voter turnout in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s constituency in the national capital did not cross the half-way mark till 4 pm Saturday. “The voter turnout is low because people have used the election day holiday as an opportunity to go out of station and relax,” a voter said outside the polling station in New Delhi constituency.

The voter turnout in Kejriwal”s constituency stood at 37. 45 per cent at 4 p.m. In 2015 Assembly elections, the total turnout in New Delhi constituency was 64.72 per cent.

Vote percentage on the decline

New Delhi: With 672 candidates in the fray for the 70-member Delhi Assembly, long queues of people were seen outside polling booths since morning Saturday.

There are around 1.47 crore voters in Delhi, of which around 66 lakh are women. All eyes are on Shaheen Bagh, the centre of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which comes under the Okhla Assembly constituency, and has five polling booths.

The results of the Delhi Assembly election on February 11 will show whether the people of Delhi have voted for free electricity, free water, better schools and hospitals or for ‘Jahan Jhuggi, Wahin Makan’, 10 lakh jobs in five years, clean water to every household and the Shaheen Bagh issue, but Delhiites are coming out since morning and casting votes.

The political parties have estimated that there are around 30 lakh voters in almost 1,800 unathorised colonies in about 40 Assembly seats. The parties also claim that the voters of almost 30 such colonies play a decisive role in the results. This is the reason the AAP and the BJP have made important announcements regarding the unauthorised colonies.

Though the voting pattern of Delhi in the last few elections has declined. In 2013 polls, the voting percentage was recorded at 67.5 per cent whereas in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls it was 65.1 per cent.

In 2015 Assembly elections, the voting percentage was 65.61 per cent while in 2019 Lok Sabha elections it was 60.56 per cent.

14.75 per cent turnout in first three hours

New Delhi: Delhi recorded 14.75 per cent voter turnout in the first three hours of polling on Saturday with long queues of voters being seen outside many booths as the day progressed.

Over 1.47 crore people are eligible to exercise their franchise in the polls that will decide the fate of 672 candidates in 70 assembly constituencies which are seeing a triangular contest among the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), opposition BJP and the Congress.

Poll officials said 14.75 per cent votes were cast in the first three hours of voting, which began at 8 am.

Polling will end at 6 pm, an official said.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi cast vote

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi on Saturday cast their vote for the Delhi Assembly elections.

Sonia Gandhi, who was unwell and discharged from a hospital here this week, voted  at the Nirman Bhavan polling station.

She was accompanied by her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Rahul Gandhi cast his vote at the NP Senior Secondary School in Aurangzeb Lane.

5.64% voter turnout till 10 a.m.

New Delhi: An estimated 5.64 per cent of 1.47 crore eligible voters have exercised their franchise till 10 a.m. Saturday in the election for 70 Delhi Assembly seats.

Polling began at 8 a.m. amid tight security arrangements with long queues seen in several polling stations to seal the fate of 672 candidates in the fray to elect a new government. The estimated turnout for North West Delhi till 10 a.m. was 5.80 per cent, according to the Voter Turnout App.

While North East Delhi recorded 5.19 per cent, South 6.71 per cent, Central 3.95 per cent, East 4.94 per cent and West 4.61 per cent, the app said, adding south west Delhi registered zero per cent turnout. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and S. Jaishankar were among various MPs, including controversial BJP leader Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, who cast their votes early morning along with their families.

Polling will end at 6 p.m. and the results for the elections will be announced on February 11. In the election, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making a bid to return to power, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to get its Chief Minister in Delhi after 20 years. The Congress, which had ruled Delhi for 15 years, is expecting a resurgence in its vote share.

The Election Commission has identified 516 locations and 3,704 polling booths as critical voting stations where paramilitary forces have been deployed. Activities at each polling station are being monitored through webcasting.

The police have deployed around 40,000 security personnel, 19,000 home guards and 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.

Delhi’s oldest voter casts vote at 111

New Delhi: Centenarian Kalitara Mandal, the oldest voter in Delhi, Saturday cast her vote and urged people to take part in the democratic exercise.

Aged 111, she came to a polling station in CR Park along with her son, grandson and other family members. She flashed her inked wrinkled finger to photographers after voting.

“I am happy to vote in this election. I don’t remember how many elections I have taken part in, but as a responsible citizen, we must vote. I urge other citizens to also come out and vote,” Mandal said.

Kejriwal hopeful AAP will form Delhi govt for third time

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said he is hopeful that the Aam Aadmi Party would form government for the third time in Delhi.

The people of Delhi will vote based on the works done by the AAP government, Kejriwal said after voting along with his wife Sunita and son Pulkit at a polling booth in Civil Lines area.

Voting for the 70-member Delhi Assembly is underway. The counting will be done Tuesday.

Polling normal in Gandhinagar constituency

New Delhi: Polling is normally underway in Gandhinagar constituency in East Delhi where former Delhi Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely is in the fray.

The polling in Gandhinagar started slowly but has picked up pace, says poll official.

Pick and drop facility for elderly voters have been provided.

Poll official Yogesh Kumar said that voting is normal and there are no sensitive booths in the constituency.

Arvinder Singh Lovely was minister in the Congress government.

The former Congress Minister is facing a tough challenge while trying to make a comeback on the seat.

Voter turnout 1.14% till 9 a.m.

New Delhi: An estimated 1.14 per cent of the 1.47 crore eligible voters have exercised their franchise till 9 a.m. Saturday in the elections to the 70 Delhi Assembly seats.

Polling began at 8 a.m. amid tight security arrangements with long queues seen in several polling stations to seal the fate of 672 candidates in the fray to elect a new government.

The estimated turnout for North West Delhi till 9 a.m. was 0.54 per cent, according to the Voter Turnout App.

While North East Delhi recorded 2.24 per cent, South 1.66 per cent, Central 0.43 per cent, South West 1.69 per cent, East 0.78 per cent and West 2.17 per cent, the App added.

Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan, S. Jaishankar and various MPs, including controversial BJP leader Parvesh Sahib Verma, were among the early voters along with their families.

Polling will end at 6 p.m. and the results for the elections will be announced February 11.

In the election, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making a bid to return to power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to get a Chief Minister in Delhi after 20 years.

The Congress, which had ruled Delhi for 15 years, is expecting a resurgence in its vote share.

The Election Commission has identified 516 locations and 3,704 polling booths as critical voting stations where paramilitary forces have been deployed. Activities at each polling stations are being monitored through webcasting.

The police have deployed around 40,000 security personnel, 19,000 home guards and 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.

BJP will win comfortably: Khattar

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Saturday exuded confidence over the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) victory in the Delhi Assembly elections.

“We would form the next government in Delhi with a comfortable victory,” he told the media here.

Polling was underway for Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats which will decide the fate of 672 candidates from the BJP, Aam Aadmi Part and Congress in a three-cornered contest.

S Jaishankar, Harsh Vardhan among early voters

New Delhi: Of the 1.47 crore voters who geared up to exercise their franchise Saturday, some of the early birds were the who’s who of the capital — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Madhav

Jaishankar cast his vote at the NDMC School of Science & Humanities Education at Tuglak Crescent polling station.

“Casting vote is one of the prime duties of the citizens of the country. People should definitely come out and cast their vote in order to contribute in the building of the nation,” he said outside the polling station.

BJP MP Parvesh Verma, who recently made headlines for being barred by the Election Commission for his unparliamentary comments against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, cast his vote at a Matiala polling station.

“Today Delhi will decide what kind of government they want — a government who works for the development of the nation or a government slipping into a sink hole of corruption,” Verma told the media.

Ram Madhav arrived at a polling station in Jhandewalan area, in Karol Bagh Assembly constituency.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan along with his mother came and cast his vote at Ratan Devi Public School in Krishna Nagar. “This time the Aam Aadmi Party will be defeated very badly. People have seen them clearly in their true colours — working against the interest of the nation.

“BJP will win with flying colours. This election is clearly between right and wrong,” Harshvardhan told media here.

When asked how many seats the BJP expected to win, he said: “I am not an astrologer to predict that.” He also said that the “AAP has no issue to talk about, that”s why they are saying that the BJP has no CM face.”

More than one crore people of Delhi will choose 70 lawmakers.

Kejriwal, Modi appeal to voters

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal urged voters to turn up in large numbers to exercise their franchise in the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections.

“Please go to cast vote. A special appeal to all the women – As your shoulder the responsibility at home, likewise, the responsibility of the country and Delhi is on your shoulders,” Kejirwal tweeted.

“All of you women do cast your vote and take along men with you. Do discuss with men about voting for whom will be right,” the chief minister added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also made an appeal to the voters of Delhi to cast their votes in the polls.

“Urging the people of Delhi, especially my young friends, to vote in record numbers,” tweeted PM Modi.

BJP president J P Nadda also appealed to all the voters to vote in large numbers.

“Each vote of you is important for the unity and integrity of the country and holistic development of Delhi. Your vote only will be script the golden future of Delhi. ‘Pehle Matdan, Phir Jalpan’. Jai Hind,” Nadda tweeted.

Voting gets underway

New Delhi: The polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly got underway Saturday morning, an election that saw the ruling AAP, opposition BJP and the Congress engaged in a bitterly fought high-octane campaign.

Over 1.47 crore people are eligible to exercise their franchise in the polls that will decide the fate of 672 candidates.

The polling began at 8 am and will end at 6 pm, an official said.

Security forces kept a tight watch across the 70 constituencies, with police and paramilitary personnel keeping an “extra vigil” in sensitive areas like Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Nagar and Seelampuri.

There are over 81 lakh male voters, 66.80 lakh female voters, and 869 third-gender voters, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ranbir Singh has said.

Around 2.33 lakh voters are in the age group of 18-19, 2.04 lakh voters are senior citizens aged 80, while there are 11,608 service voters, according to officials.

Prominent candidates in the fray include Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, Atishi and Raghav Chadha of the AAP; four former mayors — Azad Singh, Yogender Chandolia, Ravinder Gupta and Khushi Ram — of the BJP; and Shivani Chopra, daughter of Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra.

There are 13,750 polling booths, besides one auxiliary booth, located at 2,689 locations across Delhi.

“As far as critical polling stations are concerned, there are 516 locations and 3,704 booths in that category,” Singh said.

Besides police security, polling stations falling in the “critical category” have got paramilitary cover. Activities at such stations are being monitored through webcasting, officials said.

All five polling stations in Shaheen Bagh, the epicentre of massive protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, are under critical category.

The Aam Aadmi Party is hoping to repeat its stellar performance of the last assembly polls when it won 67 of the 70 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which bagged all the seven seats in Delhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, is aiming to dislodge the AAP, while the Congress is seeking to better its performance than last time when it drew a blank in the assembly polls.

The AAP had got 54.3 per cent votes in the 2015 polls, while the BJP secured 32 per cent and the Congress bagged just 9.6 per cent.

Counting of votes will take place Tuesday.

Agencies