At over 60 per cent, Saturday’s Assembly elections saw one of the highest voter turnouts in Delhi’s history. Before this, the highest turnout was marked in 1993 when Madan Lal Khurana led the BJP to power when a total of 61.75 per cent of the electorate voted.

Chief Electoral Officer Satbir Sailas Bedi said the elections were “by and large peaceful”, with some minor incidents of violence during the polling, which began at 8 am and went on till well past 9 pm in many of the 69 constituencies that went to the polls.

In an unprecedented decision, the election commission was forced tp extend polling hours till 9 pm in some constituencies due to the long serpentine queues. Final figures could not be compiled as the polling was still on till after 7 pm in places like Keshavpuram and Bhatti Mines.

“There were long queues in these constituencies, with maximum number of people turning up after 5 pm (when polling was officially scheduled to get over),” Bedi said. There was a quantum jump in the polling percentage this year as compared to the last two elections: in 2003 the voter turnout was 53.4 per cent, and in 1998 it was 49 per cent.

The maximum voter turnout, till late Saturday evening, was reported from the Northeast district: the approximate figures with the election officers stood at a phenomenal 61 per cent. Northeast Delhi was followed closely by Southwest, which showed 60 per cent turnout. Not far behind was North district — with approximately 58 per cent turnout — and Trinagar fared the best among the constituencies with a turnout of 62 per cent.

Wazirpur and Model Town showed the least voter turnout in North district at 56 per cent.

West district saw a 57-per cent turnout, and Janak Puri fared the best with 61 per cent. Tilak Nagar here saw the least with a 54 per cent turnout.

In New Delhi district, where Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is fighting against BJP’s Vijay jolly, approximately 53 per cent of the voters turned up to choose their next candidate. While the South district saw an overall turnout of about 53 per cent, maximum polling was seen in Badarpur and Tughlaqabad constituencies; the minimum was seen in Kalkaji and Mehrauli constituencies. In East district, the voter turnout was recorded at 53 per cent, and Kondli saw the maximum voter turnout among the constituencies. “There were very long queues here after 5 pm,” an election officer said.

Election commission officials pointed out that the increase in voter turnout has been marked across the board — both among rural as well as urban voters. They have also attributed some of this success to their “Pappu Can’t Vote” campaign.

“I congratulate my team and the voters of Delhi for making the election process a success,” Beside said. “It was by and large a peaceful election, and minor incidents of violence were reported from some places; four FIRs for minor offences were registered at Mehrauli, Khayala, Mandir Marg and Sangam Vihar.”

Polling for Rajinder Nagar will be held on December 13.

863 candidates
1.07 crore voters
2,600 voters' assistant booths
5,803 officials deployed by Delhi Chief Electoral Office at assistance booths
10,676 Polling booths
11,000 Polling centres
61% Highest voter turnout in Northeast district
53% Lowest voter turnout in New Delhi district

Ranjeet Singh Puneet

Age: 73

Constituency:

Brijwasan

Being in the Intelligence Bureau, Puneet has never voted before. "I was always sent out to various cities on election duty and was never available in my area during the elections," Puneet says as he walks out of the polling booth. He got his voter identity card recently. "I feel very happy and proud that I finally got the chance to vote."

— As told to Rohinee Singh

Sandeep Batra

Age: 27

Constituency:

Rohini

Sandeep Batra was the voice behind the Election Commission’s jingle to promote voting Pappu can’t... It took him two days to record the 14 jingles for the EC office.

“Initially when I got the project I did not know that it would make such a big difference and become so popular. I am sure several people just came out to vote because they did not want to be called Pappu.”

—As told to Sobhana K