Delhi will vote in a single-phase assembly election on February 5, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday. The counting of votes in all 70 constituencies across the national capital will be held on February 8.
“It's a single-phase election. Date of notification will be January 10. Last date of making nomination will be January 17, scrutiny on January 18 and withdrawal of nomination on January 20. Date of poll is February 5 and counting will be held on February 8. Entire election process after counting will be complete by February 10,” Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced at a press conference.
“India is gold standard of elections. This is our common heritage... there is no scope of any irregularity in the commission, the procedures are so details. We are ready to punish if there are any mistake individually, we are to take punishment too,” Kumar added.
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Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seeking a third straight term in office in the national capital.
The election schedule was announced a day after the Election Commission published the final electoral roll for the elections. There are 1,55,24,858 registered voters in the national capital, marking a net increase of 1.09 per cent.
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EC on voter roll deletion charge
During the press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar also addressed Aam Aadmi Party's allegations of voters' names being deleted from the rolls.
“Due process has been followed rigorously in deletions or additions to voter lists, there is no room for any manipulation,” the poll panel chief added.
"Stories on electoral roll are still going on. There are around 70 steps in it... electoral roll, election process, EVMs, polling stations, Form 17 (C), and counting stations, where political parties and candidates are present there with us.
During the press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar also addressed Aam Aadmi Party's allegations of voters' names being deleted from the rolls.
“Due process has been followed rigorously in deletions or additions to voter lists, there is no room for any manipulation,” the poll panel chief added.
"Stories on electoral roll are still going on. There are around 70 steps in it... electoral roll, election process, EVMs, polling stations, Form 17 (C), and counting stations, where political parties and candidates are present there with us.
Whenever electoral rolls are formed, regular meetings are held, it cannot be done without Form 6, every part has the right to appoint a BLA. Whichever claims and objections are raised, they are shared with each political party at the same time; draft is put up on the website; no deletion is possible until there is Form 7 produced," PTI quoted the CEC as saying.
CEC rejects EVMs' manipulation charge
CEC Rajiv Kumar also addressed the opposition parties' allegations of electronic voting machines (EVM) being manipulated during polls.
“There is no evidence of unreliability or any drawback in the EVM... There is no question of introducing a virus or bug in the EVM. There is no question of invalid votes in the EVM. No rigging is possible.
High Courts and the Supreme Court are continuously saying this in different judgments... What else can be said? EVMs are foolproof devices for counting. Allegations of tempering are baseless. We are speaking now because we don't speak when elections are on,” he said.
On the controversy around voter turnout data, the poll panel chief said,"It is impossible to change voter turnout...Some polling parties report at midnight or the next day. Form 17C is matched before counting. There is nothing which VTR does not explain. It explains fully."