Delhi Chief Minister Atishi began her election journey on Monday by offering prayers at the Kalkaji Temple before filing her nomination papers for the upcoming Assembly elections. In a remarkable show of support, Atishi raised Rs 18.56 lakh in online donations within just 24 hours of launching a crowdfunding campaign to contest the elections.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar provided details about the election timeline in a press conference last Tuesday. The last date for filing nominations is set for January 17, 2025, followed by scrutiny of nominations on January 18. Candidates will have until January 20 to withdraw their nominations.
Kumar also revealed that the elections will be conducted in a single phase, with polling scheduled for a Wednesday, a strategy aimed at encouraging higher voter turnout, similar to the approach used during Maharashtra elections. In addition to the Delhi Assembly elections, by-elections will be held for the Milkipur constituency in Uttar Pradesh and Erode in Tamil Nadu, adhering to the same schedule.
This year's Delhi Assembly elections will cover all 70 constituencies, with an expected 1.55 crore voters. The electorate includes 83.49 lakh male voters, 71.74 lakh female voters, and 25.89 lakh young voters. Notably, 2.08 lakh individuals will be voting for the first time, marking a significant segment of first-time voters.
To ensure smooth voting, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has set up 13,033 polling stations across 2,697 locations throughout Delhi. This extensive infrastructure reflects the ECI’s commitment to providing accessibility and efficiency for all voters.
Also Read: Delhi Assembly Polls on Feb 5, Results to be Declared on Feb 8: ECI