President Droupadi Murmu exercised her right to vote on Wednesday in the Delhi Assembly elections at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Kendriya Vidyalaya, located within the President’s Estate. Voting for the 70 Assembly seats began in the capital early in the morning, with polling stations opening at 7:00 AM and closing at 6:00 PM, as per election officials.
Delhi is home to 1,56,14,000 registered voters, including 83,76,173 males, 72,36,560 females, and 1,267 voters identifying as third gender. Among the electorate are 2,39,905 first-time voters aged 18-19, 1,09,368 elderly voters aged 85 and above, and 79,885 persons with disabilities.
To ensure a smooth and secure election process, the Delhi Police has deployed 35,626 personnel, while 220 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and 19,000 Home Guards are on duty. Additionally, 97,955 personnel and 8,715 volunteers have been assigned to assist in managing the elections.
The elections are highly competitive, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) aiming for a third consecutive term, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is striving to reclaim control of the city. The BJP’s campaign, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has focused on issues like the alleged contamination of Yamuna water and corruption within the AAP government. Meanwhile, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have criticized AAP, accusing the party of damaging Delhi’s infrastructure.
A total of 699 candidates are contesting across the 70 assembly constituencies of Delhi. In a message shared on social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi encouraged Delhi voters to participate actively in the democratic process. He also urged first-time voters to make their voices heard, emphasizing, “Remember—first vote, then refreshments!”
“In today’s Delhi Assembly elections, votes will be cast for all seats. I urge the voters here to participate in this festival of democracy with full enthusiasm and make sure to cast their valuable vote,” he added.
As the day unfolds, the eyes of the nation are on Delhi as voters make their decisions in this crucial election, which holds the promise of shaping the political landscape of the capital for the next five years.
(ANI)
