Delhi MCD polls witness only about 50% turnout: 10 updates

The polling percentage in Delhi MCD elections, for all 250 wards, stands at approximately 50% till 5.30 PM, the State Election Commission said.

New Delhi: Delhi recorded around 50 per cent voter turnout till 5:30 pm in the high-stakes municipal corporation election on Sunday. Voting concluded at 5.30 pm.

While the turnout at 12.30 pm was 18 per cent, it rose to 30 per cent by 2.30 PM. Over 45 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 4 pm. The previous civic body polls in 2017 had recorded 53 per cent voting. The counting of votes will take place on December 7.

Here are the top 10 updates around these crucial polls:

1. The elections to the 250 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is largely viewed by political commentators as a two-way contest between the BJP and the AAP with the Congress party gradually losing its foothold in the city.
2. This was the first civic election after the fresh delimitation exercise. There were 272 wards in Delhi and three corporations- NDMC, SDMC, and EDMC in Delhi from 2012-2022 that later reunified into an MCD that had formally come into existence on May 22.
3. According to data shared by the State Election Commission officials, the total number of voters in Delhi is 1,45,05,358 -- 78,93,418 males, 66,10,879 females and 1,061 transgender persons. Delhi State Election Commission had set up 13,638 polling stations for the elections.
4. First-time voters batted for a spick and span Delhi with better civic amenities as they queued up for the MCD elections. Of the 1.45 crore voters in Delhi, 95,0000 were first-time voters. Coming out of a polling station set up at ITI Malviya Nagar, 18-year-old Namita said her vote was for cleanliness, better education, better parking facilities and against encroachment.
5. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter early morning and reiterated the Aam Aadmi Party's determination to make the national capital hygienic. "Today Delhi will vote to make the city clean and beautiful, to ensure corruption-free government in the Municipal Corporation. My appeal to all the Delhiites - do go to cast your vote today to form an honest and effective government," he wrote. "Vote for those who will make Delhi shine and clean," he said in another tweet.
6. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reiterated Keriwal's 'clean' mantra saying, "I appeal to people to keep in my mind that MCD's priority is to keep the city clean. BJP has not done anything for Delhi for the last 15 years, it has failed miserably to work for the people. Sisodia has come under heavy criticism for devising the controversial Delhi Liquor Policy that has now been scrapped. The central agencies are investigating his alleged involvement in the 'scam'.
7. BJP MP Manish Tiwari said that the names of 450 voters in the Subash Mohalla ward in the national capital have been deleted from the voters' list because they support the BJP. Tiwari demanded cancellation and re-election of the polls in the ward.
8. Delhi witnessed high-decibel campaigning by AAP and BJP which made top leaders, including Union ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and MPs hit the streets for door-to-door campaigning and meetings to garner public support. The two parties are eyeing each other in Gujarat as well where the second phase of voting will be held on Monday.
9. The BJP, which has governed the civic body in Delhi since 2007, is looking to maintain its winning streak while the Aam Aadmi Party, which has a majority in the Assembly, is looking to make inroads in the first municipal election in the capital after the delimitation of wards.
10. All wholesale and retail markets in the national capital remained closed on Sunday in view of the civic body polls.