Polling for Delhi’s 70 assembly seats began on Wednesday, with voters casting their ballots amid tight security. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the city’s voters to actively participate in the democratic process and said ‘first vote, then refreshment’.
Taking to the social media platform X, PM Modi encouraged Delhi’s voters to embrace their civic responsibility with enthusiasm.
“Voting for all the seats in the Delhi Assembly elections will be held today. I urge the voters here to participate in this festival of democracy with full enthusiasm and cast their valuable vote,” PM Modi said in a X post.
He also shared a special message for first-time voters, saying, “On this occasion, my special wishes to all the young friends who are going to vote for the first time. Remember – first vote, then refreshment!”
Echoing the Prime Minister’s sentiments, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also appealed to the people of Delhi to prioritise voting.
On the eve of voting, Chief Electoral Officer R. Alice Vaz urged voters to participate, calling it both a right and a civic duty.
Voting started at 7:00 am and will continue until 6:00 pm. Delhi has 1.56 crore registered voters, including 83.76 lakh males, 72.36 lakh females, and 1,267 third-gender voters. The electorate also includes 2.39 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19, 1.09 lakh elderly voters (85+), and 79,885 persons with disabilities.
A total of 97,955 personnel and 8,715 volunteers have been deployed for the elections. Security arrangements include 220 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), 19,000 Home Guards, and 35,626 Delhi Police personnel to ensure smooth polling.
To promote inclusivity, 70 polling stations are managed entirely by women, another 70 by persons with disabilities, and 70 dedicated to youth participation. Voters can use the AI-based Queue Management System app, “Delhi Election – 2025 QMS,” available on the Google Play Store, to monitor real-time crowd levels at polling stations. Medical teams and creche facilities are also in place.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seeks a third consecutive term, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a strong bid to come to power.
The BJP’s campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, targeted AAP over issues such as Yamuna water quality and alleged corruption. Meanwhile, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused AAP of damaging Delhi’s infrastructure during their rallies.
Meanwhile, an FIR was registered in Haryana against Arvind Kejriwal and others under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over statements regarding Yamuna water and allegations against the Haryana government.
Several prominent leaders are expected to cast their votes, including Rahul Gandhi at Nirwan Bhawan (8:15 am), Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Atal School (11:00 am), Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav at Samaipur (10:00 am), and AICC MP Ajay Maken at Sheela Kids School, Rajouri Garden (9:00 am). BJP leader and Union Minister Hardeep Puri will vote at Mount Carmel School, Anand Niketan.
Key battleground constituencies include New Delhi, Kalkaji, and Jangpura. In the high-profile New Delhi seat, AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal faces BJP’s Parvesh Verma and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit. In Kalkaji, AAP’s Atishi contests against Congress’s Alka Lamba and BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri, while Jangpura sees a three-way fight between AAP’s Manish Sisodia, Congress’s Farhad Suri, and BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah.
With AAP holding over 60 of the 70 seats in the outgoing assembly, the elections will determine whether the party retains its stronghold or faces a shift in power.
(ANI)
