Delhi voting percentage crosses 64 mark, surpasses 2009 figure

‘The credit for the record turnout goes to citizens of Delhi especially youth and women. We are also thankful to 50,000 Delhi police and 40,000 government employees for conducting flawless elections,’ said Vijay Dev, the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Delhi. ‘Our targeted and sustained campaign to promote voting was very fruitful,’ he added. The election commission has organised several contests among youths, road shows, concerts of eminent singers, comedians, actors and sports persons to boost the voting percentage. The poll fever in the city peaked gradually, from early morning. 

In the first two hours from 7-9 am, the city recorded only 10.1 percent voting which reached to 25 percent by 11 am which then became 40 percent by 1 pm. ‘By 3 pm, the voters had crossed 52 percentage mark, the poll percentage of 2009 Lok Sabha elections,’ said Ankur Garg, OSD in CEO office. Among all the seven LS seats in Delhi, North East Delhi maintained lead since morning and attained maximum turnout of 67.08 percentage votes while North West Delhi came last in the run by securing 61.38 percent turnout. New Delhi got 65.03 per cent, South (62.67), East (65.59), North West (61.38), and West (65.64).

Besides the campaign, the CEO also managed 70 model polling stations, ten in each of the seven Lok Sabha seats. These model polling stations were equipped with wheel chairs for senior citizens, sofas, water bottles, and the premises were decorated with flowers and welcome boards. ‘It gives us pride to be voters as the arrangement here is a like red carpet welcome,’ said Ratna (20), a young voter at Havlock Square model polling station in New Delhi. The arrangement of wheelchairs was made at almost all polling stations and at model polling stations volunteers were present to help senior citizens and disabled.