Denying allegations that the release of the final voter turnout data had been delayed, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ranbir Singh on Sunday announced that 62.59% of the enrolled voters had cast their ballot in the Delhi Assembly election on Saturday.
“Whenever data from the 13,780 polling stations come in at night, each [data point] is added and then an exact number is given, which can be shared,” Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena said. “Each piece of data and each voter has been accounted for. This takes time... There is no question of delay. It is a process. And when it is completed, it is shared.”
Mr. Singh informed that polling went on well past 6 p.m. at several booths in the city. Thereafter, EVMs were deposited in strong rooms and scrutiny of data began, starting 11 p.m. in some constituencies. “Our returning officers were busy through the night and then with scrutiny.... We have to appreciate that... we have to ensure accuracy. And I think it has been done in good time,” he said.
Mr. Singh also highlighted that the data for each constituency had already been shared with candidates through their polling agents as a consequence of which it “cannot be manipulated”.
The officials, however, could not reveal the number of votes cast after 6 p.m. or the number of booths at which polling went on after the deadline. They said data was being “culled out” and would be shared later.
Overall, the lowest turnout was in Delhi Cantonment, with 45.4%. The highest was in Balimaran, with 71.6%.
