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New high for Delhi voters

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New Delhi: Dance of democracy was in full swing on Saturday as Delhi voters made a beeline for polling stations on Saturday. After the the polling ended at 6 pm, the capital saw a record voter turnout at 67.08%. 

More than 8.9 million voters came out to vote in the capital state which has been in suspended animation for nearly a year.

“We are happy to announce this election has been unprecedented in terms of voter turnout, poll percentage has crossed 67.08 percent. The poll percentage for Delhi Assembly election is expected go a little bit further,” said Chief Electoral Officer Bhushan Kumar.

Northeast Delhi reported the highest voter turnout of 66.37%, the lowest was in South Delhi with 61.7%. Central Delhi recorded 64.66% turnout, East Delhi 64.67%, New Delhi 59.29% and North Delhi 65.56%. The polling percentage in Northwest Delhi was 62.1%, Southwest Delhi recorded 63.66% and West Delhi 64.48%.

Turnout in the December 2013 assembly elections was 65.63% and in the general elections last year was 65.01%.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi assembly began at 8 am amid tight security.

Moderate to brisk voting was witnessed in the first five hours of polling as the first hour of polling showed only 5.7% turnout, which increased to 24% till noon. After five hours,  35.82% of the nearly 1.33 crore voters exercised their franchise.

Differently-abled people also turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise with Election Commission making special efforts to ensure that there were adequate facilities for them. 

While wheelchairs and ramps at most of the polling booths aided these voters, there were, however, a few places where they complained of having inadequate facilities. 

Most of the model polling stations in north Delhi did not have adequate seating arrangements as elderly and disabled voters were seen waiting in queues outside the booths. 

Earlier, Vice-president Hamid Ansari, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi, Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Maneka Gandhi, Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung, Congress’s Ajay Maken and BJP’s Varun Gandhi were among the early voters.

Priyanka Gandhi, AAP leader Manish Sisodia, Delhi’s chief electoral officer Kumar, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely, Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay also exercised their franchise in the morning hours.

No major incidents of violence were reported. The scrutiny from all polling booths will happen on Sunday.

About 55,000 police personnel had been deployed to ensure hassle free voting. The police also undertook patrolling in different parts of the capital to prevent the distribution of liquor, money or any other allurements.

The fate of 673 candidates which includes 63 women will be decided on Tuesday from 8 am as counting will take place across 14 centers in Delhi.
 

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