46% turnout in MCD by-polls

Around 46 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the MCD by-elections for 13 wards on Sunday.

 

The elections are being billed as a litmus test for the popularity of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress put a stiff fight in Delhi.

According to data provided by the State Election Commission, while Bhati ward recorded the highest turnout at 64 per cent, Matiala recorded the lowest at 33 per cent. 

Braving the heat, people came out in large numbers to cast their votes in the wards, falling under the jurisdiction of the three MCDs – seven in South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), four in North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) and two in East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

Since early morning, women poured in at polling stations in Khichripur and Jhilmil wards to cast their votes. Polling was smooth in these two wards of the EDMC. 

Starting with an average of 10-15 per cent in the first four hours in Khichripur ward, the turnout settled at 51.38. EDMC’s Jhilmil recorded 53.7 per cent turnout. “People here are tight-lipped on their favoured candidates. But it is a BJP stronghold and we don’t see a competition with the Congress here,” said Jitender Singh Shunty, BJP candidate from Jhilmil.

In North MCD’s Shalimar Bagh North, a total of 49.6 per cent voting was recorded. Voters started pouring in since morning and the polling continued till 6pm. 

Qamaruddin Nagar ward in North MCD recorded 40.6 per cent voting. North MCD’s Wazirpur ward recorded a fairly better turnout of 53 per cent. 

Long queues were seen outside polling stations of Ballimaran, which recorded 57 per cent votes.

From the dingy lanes of Munirka to the Jat-dominated Nawada area of the SDMC, women braved the sweltering heat and voted in large numbers. 

Polling in Bhati and Nawada wards, which recorded  64.36 and 53.49 per cent turnout, respectively, observed a huge participation of women, who waited patiently in serpentine queues to exercise their franchise. 

Polling in sensitive wards such as Nawada and Matiala went on peacefully amid tight security. The police said no untoward incident was reported, except a commotion reported outside a polling station in Ballimaran, which was controlled.

According to the Election Commission, polling percentage in wards of SDMC till 5pm was: Vikas Nagar- 42.82 per cent, Nawada- 53.49 per cent, Matiala- 33 per cent, Munirka- 36.39 per cent, Nanakpura- 43.65 per cent, Bhati-64.36 per cent, Tekhand- 51.12 per cent.

Meanwhile, 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”.