The polling for the key byelection to 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) concluded on Sunday with a overall voter turnout of 31.3 per cent, according to the data provided by the State Election Commission. (SEC). The polling had begun at 7.30 am and continued till 5.30 pm.
The maximum turnout was recorded Chandni Mahal at 41.95 per cent, followed by Sangam Vihar-A with 38.62 per cent and Mundka with 37.82 per cent voter participation. Shalimar Bagh-B saw 28.28 per cent turnout, Ashok Vihar 28.13 per cent, Chandni Chowk 27.91 per cent, and Dwarka-B 23.72 per cent. The lowest turnout was recorded in Greater Kailash, where it was just 20.87 per cent.
The counting of votes will now take place on December 3, along with those of Maharashtra municipal council and nagar panchayat elections.
Polling held across 580 booths
The polling on Sunday was held at 580 polling booths across 143 locations. Fifty-one candidates, including 26 women, were in the fray. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had fielded the most women at eight, followed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) at six and the Congress at five.
According to the SEC, 2,320 election commission personnel, 580 home guards and 2,265 other personnel, along with 13 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed for the MCD byelection.
Byelection a litmus test for BJP
The byelection to the 12 wards is a litmus test for the ruling BJP, which had snatched power from AAP in the assembly elections this year. The saffron party, which returned to power in the national capital after 27 years, had won 48 out of the 70 assembly seats. The AAP, on the other hand, won just 22 seats. The Congress had failed to won even a single seat.
Of the 12 wards, the BJP had won nine and the AAP won three in the previous elections.
Also Read - MCD byelection: Ex-AAP MLA Rajesh Gupta gets emotional after joining BJP | WATCH
