Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer R Alice Vaz on Friday said around 1.56 crore voters are set to exercise their electoral franchise in the Delhi Assembly election on February 5 as voter-friendly measures have been put in place for the smooth polling process.
To facilitate voting, 13,766 polling stations have been set up across 2,969 polling premises. Of these, 733 polling stations are designated for persons with disabilities, Vaz said. Around 1.56 crore voters, including 83.76 lakh men, 72.36 lakh women, and 1,267 individuals from the third gender will cast their ballot on February 5.
The Delhi Election Office has introduced several voter-friendly measures to ensure a smooth polling process. These include ramps, wheelchairs, medical teams, crèche services, themed polling stations, a queue management mobile application and a home voting option for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, she said.
Vaz emphasised that over 1 lakh polling personnel have been deployed, and all polling stations will have essential amenities under the Assured Minimum Facility (AMF) policy. These include waiting areas, drinking water, toilets, ramps, and wheelchairs. Paramedical staff with basic medical kits will also be stationed at polling centres.
To enhance voter experience, 210 polling stations will be set up as Theme-Based Model Polling Stations with additional facilities, she said. Moreover, 70 polling stations -- one in each assembly constituency -- will be fully managed by women staff. Another 70 polling stations will be operated entirely by persons with disabilities to promote inclusivity and an equal number of youth-centric polling stations will be set up to encourage young voters, the CEO said.
The "Vote From Home" initiative will allow 6,488 senior citizens aged 85 and above, along with 1,051 persons with disabilities, to cast their votes from home, ensuring accessibility for all eligible voters, she stated.
"To help voters locate their polling stations, a colour-coded system will be used, with details mentioned on the Voter Information Slip. Additionally, 4,217 wheelchairs will be made available for easy mobility," said Vaz.
Addressing Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations, Vaz stated that the cVIGIL app has received 5,244 complaints, with the highest number from North District (1,049) and the lowest from Shahdara (136).
