Despite a three-cornered contest emerging on all 70 seats in Delhi, there are apprehensions of a low turnout of voters for the Assembly polls scheduled on February 7. With a re-election happening in a span of 14 months, will Delhi break the record again or even match itIJ The chances seem slim.
This is the third election for Delhi voters in a span of less than 15 months; the turnout may also depend on whether or not there is voter fatigue. Another dampener, quite literally, could be the weather. The Meteorological Department has predicted chances of light rain on February 7.
Moreover, February 7 is also considered to be the most auspicious day for Hindus and with a large number of weddings happening on Saturday evening, it could keep many voters away from the polling stations in the Capital.
During the last Assembly polls in December 2013, the Election Commission and Chief Electoral Office had launched an aggressive drive to compel the voters to exercise their franchise. The impact was palpable and 78.38 lakh people turned up at the polling booths out of 1.19 crore voters. Around 65.65 per cent people exercised their suffrage during the last polls. Sadly, a massive turnout could not guarantee a stable Government in Delhi.
A year later, the number of voters has further increased from 1.19 crore to 1.33 crore. This increase of around 14 crore is significant in a three-cornered fight. But officials in the Election Commission are apprehensive that the poll percentage may decline on February 7. If 78.38 lakh people come out to cast their ballot on February 7, the poll percentage will get reduced from 65.65 per cent to 58 per cent straightaway. In order to sustain the 65 percentile, it will necessitate a turnout of at least 15 lakh new voters on Saturday.