By The Sampadak Express
The stage is set for the critical vote counting of the Delhi Assembly elections, with all eyes on whether Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will secure a third consecutive term or if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will break its 27-year power drought in the capital. The counting will commence at 8 AM across 19 centers, under a strict three-tier security system.
Security Measures in Place
In total, over 15,000 personnel will be deployed to ensure smooth and secure counting. This includes 5,000 staff members like counting supervisors, assistants, and micro-observers, alongside 10,000 police officers, including two paramilitary companies at each center. A random selection of five Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) per constituency will also be carried out to maintain the integrity of the process.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Alice Vaz highlighted that only authorized personnel will be allowed inside the counting centers, and mobile phone usage will be strictly prohibited. Postal ballots will be counted first, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes, with trends expected to emerge within hours. Final results are likely to be declared by late afternoon or evening.
Voter Turnout Insights
The 2025 elections saw a voter turnout of 60.54%, marking a slight decline from the 2020 elections. A total of 50,42,988 male voters and 44,08,606 female voters participated in the polling. Mustafabad recorded the highest turnout at 69.01%, while Mehrauli saw the lowest at 53.02%.
Key constituencies to watch include New Delhi (Arvind Kejriwal’s seat), Kalkaji (held by Chief Minister Atishi), Jungpura (represented by former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia), and Greater Kailash (held by Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj).
Exit Poll Predictions: A Mixed Outlook
Exit polls have painted a mixed picture for the outcome. While some predict a significant setback for AAP, citing corruption allegations, others suggest the BJP may return to power with a commanding majority. At least six exit polls forecast a BJP victory, while two indicate AAP may retain control. A couple of polls predict a close contest, with the BJP having a slight edge.
BJP President Virendra Sachdeva has predicted his party will secure around 50 seats, while AAP remains confident of forming the government again, with Arvind Kejriwal poised to take the Chief Minister’s office for the fourth time.
The next few hours will be critical in determining the political fate of Delhi.
