Delhi polls register 30.11% voter turnout so far

The freezing temperatures in Delhi seemed to have an impact on the crucial polls to the Delhi Assembly that began today. Not many voted, the voter turnout was an estimated 30.11 per cent in the first seven hours till 3pm on Saturday. About 1.47 crore eligible voters are expected to cast their vote in the elections.

The political fortunes of the Aam Aadmi Party, which is seeking a second innings at the hustings, are at stake here. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is seeking another term from the New Delhi constituency, cast his vote along with his father, mother and wife at a polling booth in Rajpura Transport Authority in Civil Lines area amid tight security.

Polling began at 8 am in bright sunshine amid tight security. There are 672 candidates in the fray to elect a new government.

The estimated turnout for North East Delhi till 3 pm was 37.35 per cent, according to the Election Commission's Voter Turnout App. Area-wise, East Delhi reported 31.99 per cent polling, North West Delhi 29.50 per cent, West 31.93 per cent, South 31.82 per cent, South West 21.37 per cent and Central 30.40 per cent turnout, the app said.

Delhi had recorded a voter turnout of 67.12 per cent in the last Assembly polls held in 2015.

There are 81,05,236 male voters, 66,80,277 female voters and 869 third gender voters. They queued up to vote in the 13,570 polling booths across 2,689 areas in the national capital.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and S. Jaishankar were among various MPs, including controversial BJP leader Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, who cast their vote early morning along with their families.

Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former party President Rahul Gandhi turned up at the polling stations early in the day.

Sonia Gandhi, who was discharged from hospital after four days following stomach infection, arrived at a polling booth in central Delhi's Nirman Bhawan.