NEW DELHI: First-time voters batted for a spick and span Delhi with better civic amenities as they queued up for the MCD elections on Sunday. Of the 1.45 crore voters in Delhi, 9,50,000 are first-time voters. Coming out of a polling station at Malviya Nagar, 18-year-old Namita said her vote was for cleanliness, better education, better parking facilities and against encroachment.
“I was excited as well as nervous because I had been reading about voting rights and their importance. Today was the first time I cast my vote for cleanliness, better education, better parking facilities and against encroachment,” she said.
Kanishka Dagar (19) a political science student at Kirori Mal College, said he was inspired by his parents who diligently cast their votes in every election. “I was waiting to turn 18 so that I could exercise my vote. I want a party that should work through its five-year tenure rather than scrambling to fulfil their promises at the fag end of their term just to gain votes,” he said.
Maseera Fatima, a 19-year-old BTech student, said garbage is a huge issue in her Mata Sundari Road locality. “Of course, there is the excitement of casting vote for the first time. We want that our area to remain clean through the year.”
Naman Kumar (19) expected the political parties to do more for the youth. “It’s been a while since the government has done anything substantial for us, especially when it comes to education and employment.
“Unless the youth are satisfied, no political party will be able to have their support. So, they should focus on us because we are the future,” Kumar said outside a polling station in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.
Voting for MCD polls started at 8 am and will continue till 5.30 pm. The counting of votes is on December 7. Over 1.45 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise in the election to the 250 MCD wards, the results of which may have ramifications beyond the national capital.
There were three corporations ‘ North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation ‘ in Delhi that were reunified into an MCD on May 22.