The Election Commission on India (ECI) on Tuesday announced the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi. As per the Election Commission, the national capital will be voting in a single phase on February 5 to elect members for all 70 seats. Meanwhile, the results will be declared on February 8.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the last date to file nominations is January 17 and the scrutiny of nominations will be done by January 18. Candidates will be able to withdraw their nominations till January 20.
“It is a single-phase election… We have deliberately kept polling on a Wednesday so more people come out to vote… like we did in Maharashtra,” Kumar said. Bypolls to two Assembly constituencies — Milkipur in Uttar Pradesh and Erode in Tamil Nadu — will also be held according to the same schedule.
Kumar said the poll body has created new records of voting, women participation and will soon have a new record of one billion-plus voters. He said that canards were being spread about wrongful additions or deletions in electoral rolls to target particular groups. On allegations of poll process manipulation, the CEC said, “Right to question inherent in democracy, it’s our duty to clear all doubts.”
CEC underlined the crucial role of voter participation in strengthening democracy. He also urged people to actively engage in the electoral process, hoping that ‘Dilli dil se vote karegi’ (Delhi will vote with all its heart). “Democracy is a beautiful garden, keep decorating it with your votes,” he added.
As per Election Commission, 15 different parties emerged as single largest in polls across 30 states, union territories since Bihar state elections in 2020. The Chief Election Commissioner said political parties are involved at each and every stage of voter list preparation with full disclosure and opportunity to object.
He asserted that due process is followed rigorously in deletions or additions to voter lists, there is no room for any manipulation. Kumar said that EVMs are commissioned only 7-8 days before polling day and candidates are kept informed through their agents at every step. He recalled that courts have ruled on 42 occasions that EVMs are not hackable. The allegations of tampering are totally baseless.
