Wed Feb 05 14:46:19 UTC 2025: **Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: High Stakes Battle Ends With Exit Polls Predicting BJP Lead**

NEW DELHI, February 5, 2025 – Voting concluded today in the high-stakes Delhi Assembly elections, with over 1.56 crore electors casting their ballots across 70 constituencies. A single-phase election saw 699 candidates compete, including 70 each from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, and 68 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A paid holiday was declared for both government and private sector employees in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.

Voter turnout reached 57.70% by 5 p.m., with Mustafabad recording the highest turnout (66.68%) and Karol Bagh the lowest (47.5%). Initial reports indicated a smooth polling process, although allegations of voter bribery and fraudulent voting were investigated and largely refuted by Delhi Police. Incidents of alleged voter suppression and intimidation were reported by various parties.

Several exit polls released Wednesday predicted a BJP victory, with projections ranging from a narrow lead to a significant majority, while others showed AAP edging out BJP by narrow margin. The Congress was widely predicted to make minimal gains. However, exit polls are projections and may differ significantly from the final results, which will be announced on February 8.

The election saw a clash of political heavyweights, including AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal defending his seat in New Delhi against BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit. Key campaign issues included civic amenities, employment, inflation, and pollution. First-time voters highlighted concerns about women’s safety and job opportunities. Special arrangements were made for senior citizens and differently-abled voters.

Throughout the day, various political figures, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and prominent leaders from all parties, cast their votes. Statements from party leaders ranged from confident predictions of victory to allegations of opponent malpractices and voter intimidation.

The Election Commission deployed significant security personnel, including paramilitary forces and Delhi Police, to ensure a peaceful election. While the CEO reported smooth proceedings for most of the day, numerous allegations of irregularities were leveled and investigated throughout the voting process. The final results will be revealed on February 8.

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