Delhi set for high-stakes civic elections today

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 3

Amid tight security, 1.45 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,349 candidates contesting the high-stake election to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Sunday.

The polling will be held from 8 am to 5:30 pm, and the votes will be counted on December 7. The authorities have set up 13,638 polling stations across Delhi for the elections. Of the total 1.45 crore voters, 78.93 lakh are men, while 66.10 lakh women.

40,000 security personnel deployed

• Adequate security arrangements have been made for the polling
• Around 40,000 security personnel, including from the CRPF, have been deployed at various polling stations across Delhi to ensure smooth voting on Sunday
• Concentration of police personnel will be higher in sensitive areas

There are 250 wards in the Delhi Municipal Corporation. State Election Commission officials said 3,360 booths had been designated “critical” or “sensitive”, and adequate and elaborate arrangements had been made to ensure smooth polling.

13,638polling stations

1.45 crvoters

250 Wards

1,349candidates

78.93L Men

66.10L Women

8 am to 5:30 pm voting
Counting on December 7

Meanwhile, both AAP and the BJP claims they will sweep the elections, while the Congress is eyeing a strong comeback. In the 2017 MCD elections, the BJP had won 181 of then 270 wards. AAP had won 48 seats and the Congress 27. To ensure smooth polls, around 40,000 cops and 20,000 Home Guard personnel have been deployed. As many as 108 companies of paramilitary and state armed police forces are on duty.

To monitor and ensure law and order in sensitive areas, 60 drones would be used, said officials. Security personnel would also be keeping an eye on communal flare ups and luring of voters by candidates. Senior police officers today held a meeting of peace committee members of respective areas to ensure no untoward incident takes place on the day of polling.

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