Assembly polls: tight security in place ahead of counting today

Curiosity heightened as outcome of elections to unseal fate of 672 candidates

Published - February 11, 2020 01:27 am IST - New Delhi

Preparations in full swing at a counting centre in Akshardham on Monday.

Preparations in full swing at a counting centre in Akshardham on Monday.

Tight security arrangements have been put in place at various centres across the national capital where the counting of votes polled in the February 8 Assembly elections will take place on Tuesday.

The curiosity among people to know the outcome of the elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly has heightened post-exit polls, that has forecast a big win for the ruling AAP, and the delay in announcement of the final voter turnout by authorities.

The election, seen as a contest between AAP and the BJP, which went aggressive during the high-octane campaign, was held on Saturday, sealing the fate of 672 candidates — 593 men and 79 women.

Nearly 24 hours after the polling ended in Delhi, the Election Commission on Sunday announced that the final voter turnout was 62.59%, 5% less than 2015, and asserted that it followed the laid down process to compile data, after AAP questioned the “delay”.

Authorities in the Delhi CEO office are gearing up for the counting of votes and adequate arrangements have been made at the centres spread across 21 location in the national capital, spanning 11 districts, officials said.

Exit polls on Saturday predicted an easy win for AAP, which sought to retain power on development plank, against the BJP that ran an aggressive campaign centred around the issues of anti-CAA protests and nationalism. Most exit polls also predicted that Congress is unlikely to open its account even this time in Delhi, which it ruled from 1998-2013.

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