Absolutely Shocking: Arvind Kejriwal Questions Poll Panel For Not Releasing Voter Turnout Figures

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday raised question on Election Commission's delay in announcing the total voter turnout who casted their ballot during the state assembly polls. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor took to Twitter and wrote, "Absolutely shocking. What is EC doing? Why are they not releasing poll turnout figures, several hours after polling?".

Absolutely shocking. What is EC doing? Why are they not releasing poll turnout figures, several hours after polling? https://t.co/ko1m5YqlSx

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 9, 2020

The Delhi polls on Saturday concluded at 6 PM, with last figure announced by the poll panel was just over 60 per cent. Late into the night, Election Commission spokesperson Sheyphali Sharan posted a screenshot of the app at 10:17 pm - almost four hours voting ended - saying that the "estimated" turnout was 61.43 per cent. The Election Commission, however, is yet to release a final number through its usual channels.

This year, the voter turnout in Delhi Assembly Poll witnessed a major dip. In 2015, 67.5 per cent of people casted their ballot.

The 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.

Over 60,000 security personnel, including Quick Response Teams, had been deployed for the election while police and paramilitary forces conducted flag marches in sensitive areas.

The voting percentage was 57.04 till 6 pm deadline, and rose to 61.46 per cent as those in queues at polling stations were allowed to vote, poll officials said, adding it may increase further.

The officials said Mustafabad (66.29 per cent), Matia Mahal (65.62 per cent) and Seelampur (64.92 per cent) -- all three with large Muslim population—recorded the highest voting percentage till 5 pm. Long queues were seen outside polling stations in areas like Jaffrabad, Jamia Nagar, Turkman Gate and Shaheen Bagh which have been witnessing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

In the 11 districts in the national capital, northeast recorded 65.24 per cent turn out, northwest (62.23 per cent), south (59.65 per cent), central (58.57 per cent), southwest 61.57 (per cent), east (61.29 per cent), west (61.79 per cent), north (57.19 per cent), New Delhi (56.10 per cent), Shahadra (62.96 per cent) and southeast (54.89 per cent).

On a sit-in for over a month against the Citizenship Amendment Act, women protesters at Shaheen Bagh in south-east Delhi voted in batches “so that the agitation remains unaffected”.