Delhi MCD elections: 50% voter turnout recorded across 250 wards

Nearly 50% turnout was recorded till 5.30 pm in the high-stakes election to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Sunday (December 4).

While the turnout at 12.30 pm was 18%, it rose to 30% by 2.30 PM. Voting will conclude at 5.30 pm, however still people who arrived at polling booths before 5.30 were still standing in queues to exercise their franchise.

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The previous civic body polls in 2017 had recorded 53% voting.

The counting of votes will take place on December 7.

“The polling till 2 pm is around 30% for all 250 wards in Delhi. The process is going on smoothly in all the wards. No untoward incident has been reported so far,” a senior official of the State Election Commission (SEC) said.

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There are 1,349 candidates in the fray and over 1.45 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections.

According to data shared by SEC officials, Delhi has 1,45,05,358 voters, of which 78,93,418 are men, 66,10,879 are women and 1,061 are transgender people.

Authorities have set up 13,638 polling stations across Delhi. According to the data, 3,360 booths in 493 locations have been identified as “critical” or “sensitive”.

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Sixty-eight model polling stations and as many pink booths covering all assembly segments in the city have been established, poll officials said.

According to official figures, there are 229 voters aged 100 and above, and 2,04,301 people aged above 80 but less than 100 years.