Delhi Elections 2020: Voting day news and highlights

• Voter turnout 57.68% at 8:00 pm, according to Election Commission data.
• Track the updated voter turnout data here.
• The police have deployed around 40,000 security personnel, 19,000 home guards and 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.
• India's national capital is in election mode; it's the voting day in the all-important assembly election.
• Over 1.46 crore registered voters have to pick between the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the challenger Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party to which the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs.
• Check out some interesting trivia around Delhi assembly election 2020 here.

India's national capital is in election mode; it's the voting day in the all-important assembly election. Over 1.46 crore registered voters have to pick between the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the challenger Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party to which the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs.

AAP, led by Kejriwal, is hoping to repeat its stellar performance of the last assembly polls when it won 67 of the 70 seats in Delhi assembly. The BJP bagged all seven seats in Delhi in the 2019 Parliamentary election, is looking to dislodge the Kejriwal government.

Meanwhile the Congress is seeking to better its performance than last time when it drew a blank in both the assembly as well as general election.

The results of the election will reflect the importance of the ongoing debate and outrage over the Central government's recent citizenship law that has led to a bitter war of words, and an unrelenting sit-down protest at Shaheen Bagh, in south-eastern Delhi.

There are five polling stations around the Shaheen Bagh area.

The incumbent AAP government has sought votes for its work in the last five years while the BJP, on the face of it, is banking on its charm as national party, with a charismatic Prime Minister.

But Modi's party did not leave anything to chance. In the run up to these elections there was a constant attempt by the BJP kept the debate over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register for Citizens to get the Hindu voters of Delhi to swing its way.

These are some of the highlights from the voting day:

The polling began at 8 am and will end at 6 pm. The voter turnout has been recorded at 4.33% till 10 am, according to ANI.

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal who cast his vote, along with his family, in the New Delhi constituency made several appeals to the electorate. "You must go to vote. Special appeal to all women - Just like you bear the responsibility of home, the responsibility of the country and Delhi is also on you. All of you ladies must go to vote and also take the men of your house. Make sure to discuss with men about who are the right ones to vote for," Kejriwal said in a tweet this morning in Hindi.

Soon after, he expressed anguish over reported attempts to bribe voters. The Election Commission's data shows that they seized ₹57 crore -- ₹12.33 crore cash, ₹2.83 core liquor and ₹42.32 in other assets like narcotics, bullion and jewelry.

"Because of our enforcement and the preventive action, the election has passed peacefully," said the Election Commissioner of Delhi.

Multiple EVM snags were also reported, including one in Kejriwal's constituency. However, according to Election Commission, EVM replacement was as low as 0.97%.

"Less than 1% VVPAT replacement is very heartening news," claimed the Election Commissioner of Delhi.



Meanwhile Prime Minister Modi too, made an appeal to the voters.


A police officer who reportedly shot a fellow woman cop before committing suicide casts a tense shadow on the mood in Delhi on voting day, according to a TV channel Mirror Now.

Security has been beefed up along the borders of Delhi. Video recordings and vehicles are being checked at 36 points between Ghaziabad and Delhi, according to an ANI report. Security forces kept a tight watch across the 70 constituencies, with police and paramilitary personnel keeping an "extra vigil" in sensitive areas like Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Nagar and Seelampuri, the IANS reported. The police have deployed around 40,000 security personnel, 19,000 home guards and 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.

111 years old Kalitara Mandal, the oldest voter of Delhi, cast her vote today. "I've always cast my vote ever since I received my voter ID. I feel happy while casting vote. It gives me power. I wish each & every citizen casts his vote," she reportedly said.

At 8:00 pm, the voter turnout was at 57.68%. However, voting is still underway.

"Till everyone who was at the polling stations at 6:00pm have voted, the polling will go on at the polling stations concerned," said the Election Commissioner of Delhi.

See also:
Here's how to check your name in the voting list

Don’t have voter ID? Carry these documents to the polling booth