EC declares voting for Delhi Assembly polls by Feb 8, vote count by Feb 11; Model Code of Conduct imposed effectively

New Delhi, January 06: Announcing the voting for assembly polls in Delhi by February 8, while the counting of votes will be held on February 11, the Election Commission on Monday affirmed that Electoral Voter Preparedness (EVP) programme is being carried out in Delhi since September 2019.

  

 

"There are over 1.4 lakh voters in over 13,000 polling stations in Delhi. Data is more accurate because of door to door sampling. Voting will be held across 13,750 polling stations and the Model Code of Conduct is effective immediately", Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said.

 

The term of the 70-member Delhi Assembly is ending on February 22 and a new House has to be constituted before that. The contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC), Citizenship Amendment Act, air pollution, women’s safety, and statehood demand for Delhi likely to dominate the election narrative.

CEC Sunil Arora also said that consultation was held with three secretaries before the election schedule was finalised. The commission also met Delhi Police officials and other officials to check preparedness on December 26. "90,000 policemen will be deployed to ensure that the polling process is held smoothly. The additional secretary will handle any additional deployment of officials on poll duty", he added.

 

 

"Persons involved in discharge of essential duties, a concept of absentee voters has been introduced, for those who couldn't physically come to polling stations due to disability or unavoidable circumstances. PWDs & Sr citizens above 80 years can either vote in person or vote through postal ballot. One must reach out to their BLO for the same", noted the CEC.

 

The assembly election to be held a little over a month from now will also bring the Union Budget that will be presented on February 1 sharply into focus. Any sops announced by the ruling BJP for the middle class or the poor could see the party make gains as Delhi votes, but it remains to be seen how much fiscal space the Centre has to make populist announcements.