The Election Commission of India has announced that the Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, with results to be declared on February 8. The notification for the elections will be issued on January 10, with the last date for filing nominations set for January 17. Scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on January 18, and candidates can withdraw their nominations by January 20.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar highlighted that polling has been scheduled on a Wednesday to encourage higher voter turnout, as observed in recent elections in Maharashtra. Delhi’s 70-member Assembly will conclude its term on February 23, necessitating elections to form a new government. In the previous 2020 elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured a landslide victory with 62 seats, while the BJP won seven seats. Congress failed to win any seats.
Additionally, bypolls for Milkipur (Uttar Pradesh) and Erode (Tamil Nadu) constituencies will follow the same schedule. Rajiv Kumar dismissed allegations of EVM fraud and inaccuracies in the electoral roll, reaffirming the robustness of the election process.
The CEC also emphasized the milestone of India nearing one billion registered voters, with the voter count reaching 99 crore. Of these, approximately 48 crore are women voters. He noted that the 2024 elections will see two-thirds of the world’s democratic population participating, underscoring India’s significant contribution to global democracy.
