Voters of Delhi on Wednesday sealed the fate of ruling AAP and Opposition BJP as well as candidates from the Congress to elect a new government on Saturday. The national Capital recorded 57. 89 percent voter turnout on 70 seats, and voting remained largely peaceful, except for trading allegations of ‘booth capturing’, ‘fake voting’, mismanagement and distribution of cash in exchange for votes. The national capital witnessed a drop in the voting pattern since 2015. The turnout in the 2020 Delhi Assembly election stood at 62.59 per cent, 4.65 per cent lower than 67.47 per cent in 2015 and 58.69 percent in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
According to the Election Commission’s data, the highest turnout was recorded in the Northeast district at 63.83 per cent, while the New Delhi district recorded the lowest at 54.37 per cent. Among other constituencies, Mustafabad had the highest turnout at 66.68 per cent while Karol Bagh recorded the lowest at 47.40 per cent.
For the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj led the charge, each claiming impropriety in the constituencies they are contesting from.
Sisodia, who has switched to Jangpura for this poll accused workers from the BJP of giving voters cash while Bharadwaj claimed Delhi Police were preventing some voters. From BJP side, candidate from Seelampur, Anil Gaur, alleged that 300-400 people had been brought from Loni in Uttar Pradesh to cast fake votes.
Delhi BJP, in a social media post alleged that AAP workers torched the shanty of a party worker at Kalandar Colony in Shahdara constituency. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva claimed that the AAP has stooped to "fake voting" as it was rattled by its "imminent defeat". Special Commissioner of Police DC Srivastava confirmed getting complaints of attempted bogus voting.
President Droupadi Murmu, Union Ministers S Jaishankar, Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar have cast their votes.
The EC’s data showed Central Delhi district recorded 55.74 per cent, East Delhi 60.11 percent, New Delhi 54.72 percent, North Delhi 57. 48 percent, North East 63.83 percent, North West 58.05 percent, South 55.72 percent, South East 53.86 percent, South West 58.86 percent, West 57.42 percent and Shahdara 61.35 percent.
Around 186 Pakistani Hindu refugees who migrated to Majnu Ka Tilla and granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, cast their votes for the first time in the Delhi Assembly elections. This marks a significant milestone in their journey from statelessness to citizenship. Though many face struggles, including poor living conditions, their newfound right to vote symbolizes hope for a better future. For these refugees, voting is not just a civic duty but a declaration of belonging in India.
The New Delhi seat of AAP convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recorded a turnout of 54.27 per cent by 5 p.m.
The Greater Kailash seat of Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj recorded 52 per cent voting, Rajinder Nager recorded 57.88 per cent, Patel Nagar 54.63 per cent, R.K. Puram 51.81 per cent and Delhi Cantonment seat recorded 57 per cent voting till 5 p.m.
Chief Minister Atishi’s constituency recorded a turnout of 51.81 per cent till 5 p.m. Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s Jungpura seat recorded 55.23 per cent voting till 5 p.m.
Other turnout trends till 5 p.m. were Sangam Vihar 57.41 per cent, Badarpur 54.51 per cent, Tughlakabad 53 per cent, Okhla 52.77 per cent, Kasturba Nagar 51.70 per cent, Malviya Nager 52.07 per cent, Chhatarpur 60.53 per cent, Ambedkar Nagar 56.98 per cent, Deoli 56.8 per cent and Mehrauli 50.59 per cent.
Till 5 p.m., the turnout in Central Delhi’s Matia Mahal was 61.40 per cent, Ballimaran 59.56 per cent, Burari 56.16 per cent, Sadar Bazar 57.06, Timarpur 53.29 per cent, Karol Bagh 47.40 per cent, Chandni Chowk 52.76 per cent.
In West Delhi, the turnout till 5 p.m. in Janakpuri was 59.28 per cent, Rajouri Garden 58.96 per cent, Madipur 58.13 per cent, Hari Nagar 57.92 per cent, Moti Nagar 55.21 per cent, Nangloi Jat 56.20 per cent and Tilak Nagar 56.65 per cent.
The turnout in the 2020 Delhi Assembly election stood at 62.59 per cent, 4.65 per cent lower than 67.47 per cent in 2015. In 2013, the turnout was 66.02 per cent, 8.42 per cent higher than 2008’s 57.6 per cent. Only 56 per cent participated in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The 2025 Delhi election is seen as a straight fight between ex-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP. In the triangular contest between the AAP, the BJP, and the Congress, the ruling party aims for a third consecutive term, while the saffron party hopes to make a return to power after 25 years, and the grand old party strives to make a comeback.
From welfare schemes, development model of governance, Yamuna’s water quality to "Sheesh Mahal" controversy, the Delhi Assembly polls witnessed fierce campaigning with AAP, BJP and Congress leaders locking horns. Important candidates in the Assembly elections include AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who is fighting from New Delhi constituency against former BJP MP Parvesh Verma and Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit, who is the son of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi is fighting BJP’s Delhi unit chief Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’s Alka Lamba. Another tight contest is unfolding in Jangpura, where AAP’s Manish Sisodia has been fielded there against BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah, and Congress’s Farhad Suri.
The term of the Assembly in Delhi is due to expire on February 23, 2025. Counting of votes will take place on the February 8, 2025. The electoral battlefield of the national is set to witness interesting contests, with turncoats adding spice to the triangular fights.
There are high-profile constituencies where the contest is tough like Kejriwal’s New Delhi, Atishi’s Kalkaji and Sisodia’s Jangpura. A resurgent Congress has put Kasturba Nagar, Chandni Chowk, Uttam Nagar and Badli on the political map. The AAP focused on its governance model, with Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi leading rallies across the city.
Congress, which got zero in the 2015 and 2020 elections, and the 2014, 2019, and 2024 Lok Sabha polls, is not likely to be a major player.