Delhi votes: Capital’s fate sealed; all eyes on February 8 results

Even as allegations of electoral malpractices flew thick and fast, voting in the national capital concluded smoothly

Delhi votes: The national capital recorded a voter turnout of 57.85% by 5 PM in the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Voting commenced at 7 AM and concluded at 6 PM, witnessing significant participation across the city.

The North East District reported the highest voter turnout of 63.83% by 5 PM, continuing its trend from the 2020 and 2015 elections. Conversely, the New Delhi District saw the lowest turnout at 54.37%, mirroring the patterns of the previous two elections.

In the 2025 Assembly elections, Mustafabad recorded the highest voter turnout among constituencies, with 66.68% by 5 PM. In contrast, Seelampur had the highest turnout in 2020 at 71.22%, while Gokalpur led in 2015 with 73.46%.

Voter turnout across districts

Central: 55.24%
East: 58.98%
New Delhi: 54.37%
North: 57.24%
North West: 58.05%
Shahdara: 61.35% 
South: 55.72% 
South East: 58.86%
South West: 57.42% 

Prominent figures cast their votes

Several key political leaders and public figures participated in the elections early in the day. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and Union ministers S Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri exercised their voting rights. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, also cast their votes.

Key candidates and political battle

A total of 699 candidates contested the elections, including 602 men, 95 women, and one transgender candidate, across 70 Assembly seats. The primary contenders in this election were Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Indian National Congress (INC).

AAP, BJP, and Congress made strategic promises to appeal to voters. AAP highlighted its governance record, including free electricity, water, and public transport for women. BJP pledged an increased honorarium for women and expanded pension schemes, while Congress sought to regain relevance with promises of financial aid for the unemployed and subsidised electricity.

Smooth polling process with tight security

The Delhi Assembly elections were conducted smoothly, ensuring a largely peaceful voting process. The ECI set up 13,766 polling stations, including 733 auxiliary polling stations, all of which were under live webcasting surveillance. Special arrangements included polling stations managed exclusively by women, persons with disabilities (PwD), and youth, creating a more inclusive voting environment.

Security was a top priority, with over 30,000 police personnel and 220 paramilitary companies deployed. Around 3,000 polling booths identified as sensitive received maximum security reinforcement, including drone surveillance, Quick Reaction Teams, Striking Teams, and CAPF personnel. Roads within a 100-metre radius of sensitive booths were barricaded, and Delhi Police monitored traffic from the borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to prevent external interference.

Also Read: Delhi Assembly Election 2025: Police’s chatbots fail to impress

To enhance election security, Delhi Police introduced two AI chatbots, Chunav Mitra and Cyber Sarthi, to address election-related queries. However, due to insufficient training, their utilisation remained limited. Officials noted that better training could have improved their effectiveness, especially for personnel unfamiliar with technology.

Allegations and electoral concerns

Despite an overall smooth process, several concerns arose. Many voters reported their names missing from electoral rolls without prior notice, prompting backlash on social media. AAP claimed its polling agents were denied entry at several booths, with its senior leaders, including AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal raising the issue.

Also Read: Delhi Elections 2025: Polling ends amid reports of fake voters

Meanwhile, BJP supporters accused AAP of enabling bogus voting in Seelampur, citing two burqa-clad women allegedly casting fraudulent votes. However, police intervention revealed it was a case of mistaken identity, as both women shared the same name. Other instances of electoral fraud were reported, including two individuals caught in East Delhi’s Kasturba Nagar. In the run-up to the elections, multiple arrests were made for forged documents in Shaheen Bagh and New Delhi.

Also Read: Delhi Elections 2025: Student volunteers aid elderly voters

Model Code of Conduct enforcement and security measures

Strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) led to multiple crackdowns on illegal activities. Authorities registered 1,092 cases of MCC violations, seized 475 unlicensed arms and 534 cartridges, and arrested 496 individuals. Law enforcement also confiscated:

  • 1,14,211.87 litres of liquor, leading to 1,404 arrests.
  • 196.602 kg of narcotics worth over Rs 77.9 crore, along with 1,200 injections, resulting in 177 arrests.
  • Rs 11.6 crore in cash, 0.850 kg of gold, and 37.396 kg of silver.
  • 34,746 individuals were arrested under preventive legal measures.

Delhi’s electorate: Key statistics

The electorate in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi comprised over 1.56 crore voters, including:

  • 83.76 lakh male electors
  • 72.36 lakh female electors
  • Over 1,200 third-gender electors

First-time voters were actively seen at polling stations, with young electors in the 18-19 age group numbering over 2.39 lakh.

Also Read: Delhi Elections 2025: How EC came up with theme-based polling booths to draw voters

AAP’s dominance in past elections

In the last two Assembly elections, AAP secured sweeping victories. In 2015, the party won 67 seats with a 54.6% vote share, leaving only three seats for the BJP. The 2020 elections saw a slight dip in AAP’s performance, securing 62 seats with a 53.6% vote share. BJP increased its tally to eight seats, while Congress failed to win any.

The road ahead

With voting now complete, all eyes are on the counting of votes and the final results on February 8, which will determine the composition of the Delhi Assembly for the next five years.