New Delhi [India]: Delhi witnessed a voter turnout of 60.42% in the high-stakes assembly elections held on Wednesday, according to data from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The polls concluded with active participation from voters across all 70 constituencies.
Among the 11 districts, North East Delhi recorded the highest voter turnout at 66.25%, while South East Delhi had the lowest at 56.16%. Other districts’ turnout percentages were:
- Central District: 59.09%
- East District: 62.37%
- New Delhi District: 57.13%
- North District: 59.55%
- North West District: 60.07%
- Shahdara District: 63.94%
- South District: 58.16%
- South West District: 61.07%
- West District: 60.76%
Exit Poll Predictions
Several exit polls have projected that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to form the next government in Delhi, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) falling behind and Congress continuing its poor electoral performance.
Predictions on BJP’s margin of victory varied across different surveys:
- P-MARQ: BJP 39-49 seats, AAP 21-31, Congress 0-1
- Matrize: BJP 35-40, AAP 32-37, Congress 1
- People’s Pulse: BJP 51-60, AAP 10-19, Congress 0
- People’s Insight: BJP 40-44, AAP 25-29, Congress 0-1
- JVC: BJP 39-45, AAP 22-31, Congress 0-2
- Chanakya Strategies: BJP 39-44, AAP 25-28, Congress 2-3
- Poll Dairy: BJP 42-50, AAP 18-25, Congress 0-2
- WeePreside: AAP 46-52, BJP 18-23, Congress 0-1
AAP’s Previous Performance
AAP had dominated the last two Delhi Assembly elections.
- 2020: AAP won 62 out of 70 seats, BJP secured 8, and Congress won 0.
- Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years, has failed to win a seat in the last two elections.
Polling Day Allegations
The election was marked by allegations of irregularities from both AAP and BJP:
- AAP accused Delhi Police of voter coercion at the Sainik Vihar polling station in Shakur Basti, alleging that police were “hijacking the election.”
- BJP staged a protest in Seelampur, alleging incidents of bogus voting.
Election Results on February 8
The final results of this three-way battle between AAP, BJP, and Congress will be announced on February 8, when vote counting takes place.