The election to 13 wards of three Municipal Corporations recorded an average turnout on Sunday as the overall voting percentage hovered at 45.90 per cent. Billed as the litmus test for AAP, BJP and Congress, the results will shape the course of political activities in the days to come in the national Capital.
According to State Election Commission data, while Bhati Mines ward recorded highest turnout at 64 per cent, Matiala ward remained lowest at 33 per cent. Braving the heat, people came out to cast their votes in the wards that fall under the jurisdiction of the three municipal corporations — South Delhi Municipal Corporation (7), North Delhi Municipal Corporation (4) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (2).
Women came out in large numbers in polling stations of Khichripur and Jhilmil wards to exercise their franchise. Polling went smoothly in these two wards of EDMC. While starting with an average of 10-15 per cent in the first four hours, Khichripur ward recorded total 51.38 per cent voting. Jhilmil recorded 53.7 per cent turnout.
“People in these wards are maintaining silence, but a large amount of support is with the BJP. It is a BJP stronghold and we don’t see a competition with the Congress,” said BJP candidate from Jhilmil Jitender Singh Shunty.
In Shalimar Bagh North, a total of 49.6 per cent voting was recorded. People started trickling in since morning.
According to the data, Qamaruddin Nagar recorded a voting percentage of 40.6 per cent. With only 34 per cent voting till 4 pm, the turnout gained some momentum in last two hours. NMC’s Wazirpur recorded a fairly better turnout of 53 per cent. long queues were witnessed outside polling stations of Ballimaran that recorded 57 per cent votes.
Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said, “Based on grass root feedback BJP is likely to be the top performer in today’s civic bypolls.”
Meanwhile, the party alleged that State Election officers were found obliging to Delhi Ministers and MlAs. “Delhi has never seen State Election Officials shamelessly obliging the Delhi Government Ministers, MlAs & leaders as we saw today yet with peoples support BJP win score best,” Upadhyay added.
From dingy lanes of Munirka to the Jat-dominated Nawada of SDMC, women marked their presence and voted even in the sweltering heat. The voting process in wards of Bhati Mines and Nawada which scored the maximum voting percentage with 64.36 and 53.49 per cent respectively, observed a huge participation of women waiting in long queues since morning to press the ballot button.
Wards like Nawada and Tekhand also witnessesd above average voting percentage. The polling stations in sensitive areas like Nawada and Matiala went peacefully with heavy police deployment.
According to the State Election Commission, the polling percentage in wards of SDMC till 5pm was: Vikas Nagar 42.82 per cent, Nawada 53.49, Matiala 33.0, Munirka 36.39, Nanakpura 43.65, Bhati Mines 64.36, Tekhand 51.12 per cent.
“Total of 3,06,990 votes were polled in the by-elections for the 13 wards,” said the official.
The election commission in a statement said according to information from the police, 78 unlicensed pistols and 126 unlicensed cartridges were seized during campaigning period May 1-14. Also, there were 18 incidents of violence but these were not of grievous nature and nine persons were injured in these incidents.
A total of 257 banners, 246 posters, 132 hoardings and 19 wall writings were erased for violation of Model code of conduct. One FIR was lodged for violation of the code of conduct.
Under the Excise Act, a total of 36,545 quarters of liquor and 192 full bottles of liquor were seized. 96 cans of liquor were also seized. 54 FIRs were registered and 52 people arrested, while 18 vehicles were seized for violations under Excise Act, said the statement.
While there was a huge public support for the Aam Aadmi Party, a lot of them also came in support of the BJP. “Kamal hi khilega iss baar bhi” (BJP will win this time), said one of the female voters in Munirka, who came to vote along with her husband.
However, people in Nawada did not agree on the BJP getting success in the by-elections. A bunch of ladies of Jat community said, “What have they (BJP) done… look at the level of garbage piling here. If they win, we will see their work and will judge them for the next year’s elections.”
Scores of men sitting outside a tree near a polling booth in Matiala were in favour of the Congress and said, “Congress has overhauled Delhi to a great extent… AAP has done nothing but wasted tax payers money in huge advertisements in self praising.”
SK Singh, president of Karampura Block Congress Committee, who was present in Nanakpura, to support his party talked about the odd-even woes and said, “The odd-even scheme by the AAP Government has irritated the public and it is the time for people to make a right decision and not vote for this party.”
However, the AAP supporters were no less in hailing their candidates and said that if the party wins the bypoll, it will have a better chance of winning the next year’s MCD polls.
Despite a low turnout, these by-elections witnessed people of all the age groups, including youngsters, middle-aged and old-age people thronging to vote for their choice of candidates.
Many of the differently-abled people also marked their votes. Braving the heat, Vishnu, a resident of Nanakpura who suffered from polio in one of his legs, said, “These elections are important as the councilors are the one closest to us. So we must decide our representatives very carefully.”
Among other things, differently-abed voters faced trouble as poll booths lacked wheelchairs and first-aid kits. Police officials stated that no specific instructions or any usual facilities like wheelchairs and first-aid boxes have not been given for the voters this time.
Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said, “The enthusiastic manner in which the people came out to vote clearly showed that they were unhappy with the AAP Government and the BJP-ruled MCD.” He said the results of these bypolls would provide a “big surprise” as the Congress party would be making “huge gains” in it.
Convener of Delhi AAP Dilip Pandey said that the party was “very optimistic and hopeful” that the “hard work” of its volunteers will yield “good results”. He, however, did not agree with suggestions that the bypolls will be a test of popularity of the AAP Government, and dubbed it a “local” affair.
Heavy security force deployment was witnessed in almost all the wards with police surveying the areas to avoid any untoward incident. Skirmishes broke out in Vikaspuri area where a BJP worker and an Independent candidate were reportedly engaged in a fight and reportedly broke an EVM.