Lok Sabha polls 2024: A voter turnout of 21.69 per cent was recorded till 11:00 AM in Delhi, where polling is underway for its seven Lok Sabha constituencies on Saturday.
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer said that the highest turnout was recorded in the North East Delhi constituency at 24.49 per cent, while Chandni Chowk had the lowest voting percentage till 11:00 am at 18.55 per cent.
Union ministers S. Jaishankar and Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Minister Atishi, outgoing East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir, and candidates of different parties cast their votes early in the morning.
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar also cast their votes in the New Delhi constituency.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on X, appealed to the people to vote and urge their family members, relatives, and friends to also exercise their franchise.
मैं सभी मतदाता भाइयों और बहनों से अपील करता हूँ कि वोट ज़रूर डालकर आएँ। अपने परिवार, सगे-सम्बंधियों और मित्रों से भी वोट करने के लिए कहें। लोकतंत्र के इस महापर्व में आपका एक-एक वोट तानाशाही सोच के ख़िलाफ़ भारत के लोकतंत्र और संविधान को मज़बूत करने के लिए होगा। मतदान केंद्र पर…
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 25, 2024
“…Each vote cast by you in this great festival of democracy will be against the authoritarian mindset and strengthen democracy and the Constitution of India. Go to the polling stations and assert that there is democracy in India and democracy will remain in India through your votes,” Kejriwal said.
Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: Voting for development, brighter future, say Delhi’s senior citizens
People were seen queuing up outside the more than 13,000 polling booths across the seven constituencies even before voting began at 7 am.
By 11:00 am, voter turnout stood at 18.55 per cent in Chandni Chowk, 22.41 per cent in East Delhi, 19.18 per cent in New Delhi, 24.49 per cent in North-east Delhi, 22.67 per cent in North-west Delhi, 21;00 per cent in south Delhi, and 21.56 per cent in West Delhi.
A total of 1.52 crore voters — 82 lakh men, 69 lakh women, and 1,228 from the third gender category — are eligible to cast their votes at more than 13,000 polling booths across the seven constituencies, officials said.
There are more than 2.52 lakh first-time voters this time.
Also read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PwDs vote in large numbers despite difficulties
A ‘yellow’ warning is in place for the day, with the Met office predicting that the mercury is likely to reach a maximum of 44 degrees Celsius. The Delhi poll body has made arrangements for voters to beat the heat.
(With inputs from PTI)
