Delhi is all set to cast its vote to elect a new 70-member Assembly with voting on February 8 (Saturday). The counting will take place on February 11. It is the right of every eligible person to cast his or her vote to bring the right person to power. A person, of 18 years of age or above, can vote only if their name appears in the Voter List otherwise known as the Electoral Roll.
The voting in the national capital will commence from 8 am and continue till 6 pm. However, those people in the queue at polling booths will be allowed to exercise their franchise even after the allotted time for polling.
A person should have a voter card. A photo voter slip shall not be accepted as a stand-alone identification document for voting. However, if a person does not have a voter card but is enrolled on the electoral list, they can cast their vote if they have these documents--driving licence, service identity cards, passport, passbook, MNREGA job card, PAN card, health insurance smart card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour, pension document, smart card issued by RGI under NPR, official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs or Aadhaar card.
The Delhi Metro services will also start commuting from 4 am on February 8 in view of the officials who will travel for election duty. It is to be noted that in normal days the metro services start at 6 am.
Delhi is in for a three-cornered fight between the main rivals-- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
The Election Commission and Delhi Police have made all possible arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the election. Security arrangements have been tightened with around 2,50,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary force personnel deployed.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha election, 50,000 police personnel were deployed in the national capital, while the number has increased this time in view of the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in many parts of the capital. Delhi Police will also be monitoring 4000 sensitive polling booths through CCTV cameras.
