NEW DELHI: LED by the First Citizen and a long line of VVIPs, Delhiites came out in good numbers to get their fingers inked on poll Sunday. The national capital recorded a polling percentage of 60.50%, down from 65.1% in the 2014 general elections.
Early estimates suggest that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, could keep its hold over Delhi, leaving challengers Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, which is bidding to reclaim lost political ground in the Capital, trailing in its wake.
The robust polling percentage in 2014 Lok Sabha polls had rubbed off on the 2015 Assembly elections as well, with the national capital recording a turnout of 67%.
However, the 2009 Lok Sabha polls saw the national capital recording a dismal polling percentage of 52.3%. It was far less than 71.3%, the city’s highest polling number recorded in 1977, soon after the Emergency was lifted.
A top polling official said about 60.21% of Delhi’s 1.43 crore eligible voters had exercised their franchise till 6 pm.
Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh said 5.5% EVMs were replaced in the morning, and glitches in voting machines were also reported from Chandni Chowk and West Delhi. p5&6
Eventful polling Sunday
Mudit Agarwal, son of Congress’ Chandni Chowk candidate Jai Prakash Agarwal, said EVMs in several booths in Ballimaran and Matia Mahal areas were not working as polling began.AAP MLA from Malviya Nagar Somnath Bharti also complained about faulty EVMs. A VVPAT glitch delayed polling at a Vasant Kunj, booth by 20 minutes