Capital...
In the capital, North East Delhi recording the highest figure of 63.41% as the Capital’s electorate sealed its verdict in the triangular contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.
The East Delhi seat recorded 59.63% voting, followed by New Delhi and South Delhi, which saw 56.9% and 58.59% polling respectively. West Delhi logged 60.64% voting, while North West Delhi recorded a turnout of 58.97%. Chandni Chowk saw a turnout of 62.68%.
In Faridabad and Gurgaon, the voter turnouts were 64.48% and 67.38% respectively. Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh is seeking re-election from Gurgaon, while Krishan Pal Gurjar is in the fray from the Faridabad Lok Sabha seat.
The polling in Delhi came days after the AAP and the Congress were engaged in protracted talks to stitch up an alliance but failed to strike a consensus to take on the BJP, which currently holds all seven seats in the national capital.
In 2009, the Congress had won in all parliamentary constituencies in Delhi.
Among those who voted in the national capital on Sunday were President Ram Nath Kovind, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and cricketer Virat Kohli also cast their votes.
After voting at a polling booth at Aurangzeb Lane, the Congress chief said “love will win” in the elections, which have seen highpitched campaigns fuelled by rhetoric, political slugfests and personal attacks among top leaders.
Speaking at an election rally in Indore later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an attack on Gandhi, saying dynasty can take him to the top position of a party, but it “doesn’t bring vision and wisdom”.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the Delhi electorate to vote for those who have done work and not for those spreading “hatred” and “venom”.
As Delhi residents voted on Sunday, complaints of malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMS) were reported from several places. The AAP’S Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti alleged that EVMS at booths 116, 117 and 122 were not functioning.
Polling began late at a few booths because of glitches. The Delhi chief electoral officer said that until 3pm, the poll watchdog replaced 61 ballot units, 35 control units, and 286 Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units. The biggest number of glitches was reported in the South Delhi segment. Reports of EVM faults also came in from Chandni Chowk and West Delhi.
“One of the reasons [for the lower turnout] could be that this year, the elections coincided with the summer vacations. Many people might have already left the city. This year, elections are being held during the peak summer months. In 2014, elections were held on April 10 when the weather was still comfortable. Also, elections this time in Delhi were held on a weekend,” the Delhi CEO said.
About 14.3 million people in the national capital were eligible to vote in the polls that will decide the fate of 164 candidates. The seventh and last phase of elections will be held on May 19 and the counting of votes will take place on May 23.