New Delhi, 5 Feb

Voting is underway for the high-octane Delhi Assembly elections, with over 8 per cent of the voters coming out to exercise their franchise till 9 am on Wednesday across 70 assembly constituencies.

Polling is underway at 13,766 stations to decide the fate of 699 candidates in a contest that could reshape the political landscape of the national capital. Around 1.56 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes.

While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is eyeing a third straight term, banking on its governance record and welfare schemes, the BJP and Congress are looking for a resurgence.

Polling began at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm. According to Election Commission data, 8.10 per cent voters had cast their votes by 9 am.

North East district recorded the highest voter turnout of 10.7 per cent till 9 am. Mustafabad was leading among constituencies with 12.43 per cent polling, the data showed.

Among the early voters were President Droupadi Murmu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union minister S Jaishankar.

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna cast his vote at a polling booth at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi constituency.

Other prominent leaders who came out to cast their vote were Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, and Delhi Chief Electoral Officer R Alice Vaz. AAP's Greater Kailash candidate Saurabh Bharadwaj, BJP's Karawal Nagar candidate Kapil Mishra, Congress' New Delhi candidate Sandeep Dikshit, and Kalkaji candidate Alka Lamba also exercised their franchise soon after voting began at 7 am.

After casting his vote at a polling booth in Moti Bagh, CEC Kumar said everyone has worked very hard for the smooth conduct of polls.

"Today, over 1.5 lakh people are involved in conducting the elections. Preparations have been going on for months. No one should stay home without voting—everyone must cast their vote. I am sure that Delhi will see high voter turnout...Young voters are participating actively, which is encouraging. We have worked very hard to motivate them, as they represent the future of democracy," Kumar said.

Speaking to reporters, BJP candidate from Kalkaji constituency Ramesh Bidhuri said, "PM Modi wants development in Delhi like it is happening in India. I appeal to my brothers and sisters of Delhi to vote for development, drinking water, repair of broken roads, clean sewer, clean Yamuna river".

BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi appealed to voters to come out in large numbers to vote

"It is not only our right but also our responsibility to vote. People should come out in large numbers to vote. There is no place for violence, dishonesty in democracy. People of the country are honest, and they want the country to be run properly," she said.

Joining the call for voter participation, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said the election is a battle between good and evil.

"This is a battle between work and hooliganism," she said, encouraging citizens to vote for progress and "goodness."

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva also issued an appeal to voters, urging them to support his party’s vision of a "clean, well-governed, and prosperous" Delhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit, who is contesting against AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, asked Delhiites to vote in large numbers to protect their rights.

Ahead of the polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters of Delhi to cast their valuable votes in the assembly elections.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged people to vote for those who have done real development in Delhi and not dupe people by making false promises, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked people to remember who committed the biggest scam in Delhi by talking about practising clean politics.

Kejriwal appealed to the voters of Delhi to recognise the importance of their vote in shaping the future of the city.

In a message posted on X, Kejriwal said, "Your vote is not just a button, it is the foundation of your children's bright future. It is an opportunity to provide good schools, excellent hospitals, and a respectable life to every family."

The Election Commission has deployed 220 companies of paramilitary forces, 35,626 Delhi Police personnel, and 19,000 home guards to ensure smooth voting.

Nearly 3,000 polling booths have been identified as sensitive, with special security arrangements, including drone surveillance, at some locations.

Delhi Police has stationed additional forces at sensitive booths, with Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) deployed to maintain law and order.

Special provisions have been made for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, with 733 polling stations designated for accessibility.

To streamline the process, the Election Commission has introduced a Queue Management System (QMS) app, allowing voters to check crowd levels in real time.

Additionally, 6,980 out of 7,553 eligible voters under the home voting facility have already cast their ballots.

The Delhi Assembly election is being seen as a referendum on AAP's governance model and its leader, Arvind Kejriwal.

The AAP is seeking a third consecutive term, relying on its governance record and welfare schemes while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a determined push to reclaim the capital after more than 25 years.

The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years until 2013, is striving to stage a comeback after failing to win a single seat in the last two elections.