Delhi Assembly Election 2020 voting Highlights: Voting ends, exit polls favour AAP’s return

Delhi voted for a new assembly on Saturday with over 14.7 million voters deciding the fate of 672 candidates. The voter turnout was recorded at 61.46 per cent according to th Election Commission’s Voter Turnout app at 10:26 pm, down from 67.47 per cent in 2015 assembly election.Five exit polls have predicted a comfortable majority for chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadami Party. The exit polls have also projected a vast improvement in the seats netted by the Bharatiya Janata Party.Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, President Ram Nath Kovind, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari and Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi were among other leaders seen casting their votes. All of them encouraged voters to step out and take part in the process of electing a responsible government.Counting of votes will be held on February 11.Following are the highlights:

10:45 pm IST

Amit Shah arrives at BJP HQs, to hold meeting with JP Nadda

Union home minister Amit Shah arrives at the BJP headquarters at Pant Marg where he will hold discussions with party president JP Nadda.

10:42 pm IST

‘EVMs still with some officers’: AAP leader Sanjay Singh

AAP leader Sanjay Singh, after the meeting at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on security of EVMs, said, “EVMs that should be taken directly to strong room after getting sealed,are still with some officers. It is an incident of Babarpur. A similar incident is being reported from Vishwas Nagar.” He added, “ Therefore, arrangements must be made outside the strong room for our party workers and our MLAs, so that they can guard and make sure that EVMs are not tampered.” :ANI

9:01 pm IST

Kejriwal holds meeting to review EVMs security after Delhi Assembly polls

After polling for 70 Assembly seats concluded in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is conducting a meeting on Saturday to review the preparedness for the security of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders Prashant Kishor, Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai are present in the meeting.

7:45 pm IST

Exit polls predict big win for AAP

Exit polls for the Delhi assembly election on Saturday predicted a big victory for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party with some indicating that it can even repeat its 2015 landslide when it had bagged 67 seats in the 70-member House.

7:42 pm IST

Voter turnout so far at 57.06 per cent: Delhi CEO

Ranbir Singh, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi confirmed the voter turnout till late Saturday evening to be at 57.06%. “Till now voter turnout is 57.06%, it is tentative data as voting is still underway at some polling booths,” Singh said, addressing the press.

7:24 pm IST

REPUBLIC-Jan Ki Baat exit poll predicts AAP victory in Delhi, BJP a distant second

REPUBLIC-Jan Ki Baat exit poll predicts Aam Aadmi party (AAP) will return to power in Delhi with a thumping win under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The poll predicts AAP will sweep the Assembly elections and the BJP will end up second.

Read full story here.

7:15 pm IST

Newsx-POLSTRAT exit poll predicts clean sweep for AAP in Delhi

News X-POLSTRAT Exit poll has predicted a clean sweep for Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi Assembly polls in its first projection right after 6 pm, when the polling ended. The exit poll predicts 50-56 seats for Aap followed by 10-14 seats for the BJP and one seat for the Congress.

Read more here.

6:54 pm IST

‘Ballot over bullets’, ‘jobs over freebies’: First-time voters’ priorities for Delhi polls

“Ballot over bullets” and “jobs over freebies” were among the priorities for many of the first-time voters who queued up at polling booths, excited to exercise their franchise.

Praveen Punj, a first-time voter at Tilak Nagar polling booth said, “We can’t fight these forces with bullets. Even if they fire, we should not. They can only be fought with ballot. Happy to have made my contribution for the first time.”

6:45 pm IST

Exit poll figures trickle in as voting window ends

Exit polls for Delhi Assembly elections 2020 are predicting a return of Aam Aadmi Party chief led government’s stellar comeback. Read the latest on Exit poll trends here.

6:00 pm IST

Polling in Delhi ends, turnout recorded at 54.65 per cent

The voting hour in Delhi has closed at 6 pm and the voter turnout recorded stands at 54.65 per cent. However, those who have queued up in the polling booths will be allowed to vote.

5:47 pm IST

15 minutes before polling in Delhi ends, 54.22 per cent voter turnout recorded

As the clock for voting in Delhi ticked in its last few minutes, Delhi crossed halfway mark and the voter turnout was recorded at 54.22 per cent on Saturday.

5:21 pm IST

AAP replies to Netflix’s ‘Saturday nap’ tweet, says ‘No!!! First...’

In the penultimate hour of voting exercise in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party saw a window to combat palpable laziness in voters through a tweet by Netlix.

The streaming platform tweeted, “It’s Saturday which means *naps while my favourite show plays in the background*”.

5:13 pm IST

New Delhi constituency records low voter turnout till 4 pm

Voter turnout in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s constituency New Delhi in the national capital did not cross the half-way mark till 4 pm on Saturday.

The voter turnout in the constituency stood at 37. 45 per cent at 4 p.m. In 2015 Assembly elections, the total turnout in New Delhi constituency was 64.72 per cent.

5:01 pm IST

At 5 pm, Delhi’s voter turnout reaches 44.77 per cent

Delhi records 44.77 per cent voter turnout at 5 pm, according to the voter turnout data released by the chief electoral officers.

4:55 pm IST

Shaheen Bagh: Women protesters vote in batches to keep agitation alive

On a sit-in for over a month against the Citizenship Amendment Act, women protesters at Shaheen Bagh voted in batches on Saturday so that the agitation remains unaffected.

Mehzabeen Qureshi, who returned to the protest site after voting said, “I stayed at home to let other women in the house go out and vote. Now I have joined them here at Shaheen Bagh after voting. I voted today to secure democracy”. Zaheeda Khan, another resident of Shaheen Bagh, said they decided to vote in batches. “

4:35 pm IST

‘Gone to buy stuff’: Minister refutes AAP’s charge of distributing money

Reacting to AAP’s allegations stating that BJP union minister Giriraj Singh was caught distributing money to voters, the senior leader said, “I had just gone to the shop to buy some stuff. The shopkeeper is a known person. It has been done to raise an issue of Bihari vs non-Bihari.”

4:00 pm IST

At 4 pm, Delhi’s voter turnout reaches 42.20 per cent

Delhi records 42.20 per cent voter turnout at 4 pm, according to the voter turnout data released by the chief electoral officers.

3:50 pm IST

Kejriwal hits back at Irani, says women of Delhi have decided who to vote for

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union minister Smriti Irani traded barbs on Twitter on Saturday after the AAP leader issued a “special appeal” to woman voters and asked them to discuss with men as to who could be the right choice for votes.

Read more here.

3:48 pm IST

Delhi pushes voter turnout in afternoon round

As per ECI, 41.05% voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls till 3.40 pm.

3:36 PM IST

Senior CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat casts his vote in Delhi

Senior CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat after casting his vote at Sanchar Bhawan.

 

3:13 pm IST

At 3 pm, 30.18 per cent Delhi voters turn up to vote

Delhi records 30.18 per cent voter turnout till 3 pm.

2:54 pm IST

Former President Pranab Mukherjee casts his vote in New Delhi constituency

Former President Pranab Mukherjee cast his vote at a polling station at Kamraj lane in New Delhi Constituency.

 

2:47 pm IST

Hope Delhi votes for development and progress: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi tweeted after voting and said, “I hope the people Delhi will vote for development & progress and won’t be distracted by issues that don’t pertain to their development.”

2:35 pm IST

BJP still existing in the times of untouchability: AAP’s barb for Manoj Tiwari

Hours after BJP’s Manoj Tiwari called Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal ‘nakli bhakt’, AAP delivered a sharp reply, accusing the party of still living in times which allowed outcast practice of untouchability. “The BJP looks at the Chief Minister of Delhi with a sense of untouchability. This is a very degrading and insensitive. Still, you are living in those times where Dalits were not allowed to enter temples. I don’t think that even Lord Ram can save the BJP,” said Sanjay Singh, AAP’s Rajya Sabha leader.

2:15 pm IST

Priyanka Gandhi’s son votes for the first time, presents a wishlist

Among the many first-time voters in the Delhi assembly elections was Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and businessman Robert Vadra’s son. Rehan Rajiv Vadra was seen with his parents, Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra, coming out of Booth Nos 114 and 116 in Delhi’s Lodhi Estate.

“It was a nice feeling to take part in the democratic process. Everyone should exercise their right to vote,” Rehan Rajiv Vadra said, according to news agency ANI.

1:50 pm IST

Polling booth in Sant Nagar installs mobile phone locker for voters

Mobile phones are not allowed inside polling booths and voters have to leave them outside when they go in to vote which causes a lot of inconvenience.

On Saturday, as polling began in Delhi to elect a new Assembly, HT found that one polling booth in south Delhi’s Sant Nagar had a mobile locker for safe custody. The locker is manned by a poll official.

1:40 pm IST

‘Nice feeling to take part in democratic process’: Priyanka Gandhi’s son and first time voter, Raihan Rajiv Vadra

“It was a nice feeling to take part in the democratic process. Everyone should exercise their right to vote; I think everyone should have access to public transport and it should be subsidized for students,” Raihan Rajiv Vadra, son of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra, said.

1:30 pm IST

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra casts vote with family

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra and their son Raihan Rajiv Vadra who is a first-time voter, cast their vote at booth no.114 & 116 in Lodhi Estate.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with family after casting vote ( HT Photo )

1:25 pm IST

‘AAP worker used abusive language’: Alka Lamba

“As soon as I came out from polling booth, I saw the son of an AAP candidate arguing with the police over getting admission inside polling booth. At that moment, an AAP worker Harmesh used abusive language against me. Thank the police who arrested him immediately,” said Alka Lamba.

1:12 pm IST

19.37 % voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls till 1 pm

19.37 % voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls till 1 pm. : ANI

12:42 pm IST

Manoj Tiwari alleges Kejriwal defiled Hanuman idol, AAP leader says god belongs to all

Kejriwal had offered prayers at the famous Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place along with his wife Sunita on Friday. “Did he (Arvind Kejriwal) go to worship or defile Hanuman ji? He took a garland with the same hands he used to take his shoes off… What has he done?” he said.

Kejriwal tweeted soon after to keep his point of view.

“Ever since I read Hanuman Chalisa on a TV channel, the BJP people are constantly mocking me. Yesterday, I went to the Hanuman Temple. Today BJP leaders are saying that the temple was defiled by my presence,” the Delhi chief minister tweeted in Hindi. “What kind of politics is this? God belongs to everyone. May god bless everyone, even those in the BJP,” he added.

12:30 pm IST

15.68 % voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls till 12 noon

15.68 % voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls till 12 noon. : ANI

12:20 pm IST

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora casts his vote

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora after casting his vote at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi assembly constituency.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora after casting his vote ( ANI Twitter )

12:10 pm IST

Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra casts vote

Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and his wife Neelu Chandra have cast their vote at polling booth number 99 in New Moti Bagh.

12:00 pm IST

BJP leader LK Advani casts his vote

BJP leader LK Advani and his daughter Pratibha Advani cast their vote.

 

11:45 am IST

Scuffle breaks out between Cong and AAP workers

Scuffle broke out between AAP and Congress workers near Majnu ka Teela, Congress candidate Alka Lamba tries to slap an AAP worker.

 

11:35 am IST

‘Everyone should vote, don’t be lazy’: Priyanka Gandhi

“Everyone should come out and vote. It is extremely important. Don’t be lazy,” said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

11:27 am IST

‘Sixth sense tells me BJP will form govt in Delhi’, says Manoj Tiwari

Delhi BJP chief and MP Manoj Tiwari Saturday said his “sixth sense” has told him his party would form the government with at least 50 seats in the city-state where voting to elect a new Assembly is under way.

Manoj Tiwari after casting his vote

11:17 am IST

6.96% voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls till 11am

Voter turnout in Delhi assembly polls till 11:00 am was 6.96%.

11:10 am IST

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi casts her vote

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi has cast her vote at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi assembly constituency. She was accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who will cast her vote at booth no.114 and 116 at Lodhi Estate.

10:59 am IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi casts his vote

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has cast his vote.

 

10:51 am IST

Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh casts his vote

Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Singh cast their vote at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi assembly constituency.

10:42 am IST

Kalitara Mandal, the oldest voter of Delhi, casts her vote

110-year-old Kalitara Mandal, the oldest voter of Delhi, casts her vote.

Kalitara Mandal, the oldest voter of Delhi ( Sanjeev Verma/HT )

10:35 am IST

President Ram Nath Kovind casts his vote

President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita Kovind cast their votes at Dr Rajendra Prasad Kendriya Vidyalaya, President’s Estate.

President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita Kovind after casting their votes. ( ANI Twitter )

10:18 am IST

Election officer on poll duty dies of cardiac arrest

An election officer deployed at a polling booth in Babarpur Primary School in Northeast Delhi has died of cardiac arrest, says Delhi police.

10:10 am IST

Manish Sisodia casts his vote

Delhi Deputy CM and Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Patparganj Assembly constituency, Manish Sisodia and his wife Seema Sisodia cast their vote at MCD school in Pandav Nagar.

Manish Sisodia after casting his vote ( ANI Twitter )

10:05 am IST

Voter turnout at 10 am recorded at 5.60%

Voter turnout at 10 am was recorded at 5.60%, according to Election Commission Application Voter Turnout.

9:56 am IST

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal casts his vote

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with his family, has cast his vote.

 

9:49 am IST

AAP candidate Raghav Chadha casts his vote

Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Rajinder Nagar, Raghav Chadha casts his vote at a polling station in Rajinder Nagar; Congress’s Rocky Tuseed and BJP’s RP Singh are contesting from the assembly constituency here.

Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Rajinder Nagar, Raghav Chadha, after casting his vote. ( ANI Twitter )

9:43 am IST

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal leaves for casting his vote

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has started from his home tor casting his vote.

 

9:40 am IST

EVM not working at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya booth

EVM is not functioning at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya booth number 114, New Delhi constituency due to some technical glitch.

9:35 am IST

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi casts her vote

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Meenakshi Lekhi has cast her vote.

9:26 am IST

‘Pannu Parivaar’ has voted. Have you?: Taapsee Pannu after casting vote

After casting her vote, Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu posted a picture with her family on Instagram with the caption “‘Pannu Parivaar’ has voted. Have you?”