Delhi Lok Sabha Election Updates: 54.35% voter turnout in phase 6

Delhi Election 2024: Updates

Delhi is buzzing with activity today as all seven of its parliamentary seats head to the polls in the sixth and penultimate phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. This phase sees a total of 58 seats up for grabs across six states and two Union territories, with a whopping 889 candidates in the fray. In Delhi alone, the Election Commission has approved 162 candidates vying for seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which previously secured all seven seats in both the 2014 and 2019 elections, faces a stiff challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. Both parties are part of the Congress-led opposition INDIA bloc. According to their seat-sharing agreement in Delhi, AAP is contesting four seats while the Congress is contesting three.

The seven parliamentary segments in Delhi are Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi, East Delhi, New Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi, and South Delhi.

In neighboring Haryana, all 10 constituencies are also voting today. Additionally, voters in Uttar Pradesh (14 out of 80 seats), West Bengal (8 out of 42 seats), Bihar (8 out of 40 seats), Odisha (6 out of 21 seats), Jharkhand (4 out of 14 seats), and Jammu and Kashmir (1 out of 5 seats) are casting their ballots in this crucial phase of the election.

Delhi Elections 2024: Elderly Voters Brave Scorching Heat to Cast Their Ballots

In the midst of the scorching heat, elderly voters in Delhi showcased remarkable determination by heading to the polling stations to cast their votes. Some trekked over a kilometer to reach the polling centers, while others arrived on stretchers. According to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Delhi, there are 97,823 voters aged above 85 in the city. This year, over 5,400 senior voters opted for the home-voting facility provided by the Election Commission, designed for electors above 85 years old.

Among those who utilized the home-voting facility were prominent figures such as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, and ex-Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi.

Prem Hinduja, a 97-year-old resident of Old Rajinder Nagar, exemplified this spirit as he was brought to the polling booth on a stretcher. Despite his frailty, he emphasized the importance of voting for the “welfare of the country and humanity.”

“Voting is one of the most essential duties. You should vote for the right people who will represent the country,” he said.