Battleground for Delhi civic polls heats up, dates changed

The Congress hopes to gain from the anti-incumbency factor while Aam Aadmi Party, that is making its full-fledged debut, hopes to recreate the assembly election magic

Elections for the 272 seats on the Municipal corporation of Delhi will now be held on April 23 and parties are in the battle mode for the same. With the model code of conduct in place, parties have begun campaigning. While rallies are passe, parties are focussing on door-to-door campaigns and individual and group interactions with voters. While the BJP, which has been in power for over a decade is battling to retain power, the Congress hopes to gain from the anti-incumbency factor while Aam Aadmi Party, that is making its full-fledged debut, hopes to recreate the assembly election magic.

The Election Commission had announced April 22 as the date of polling but postponed it by a day owing to CBSE exams in the national capital. This is the second civic polls in Delhi after the municipal corporation was trifurcated into North Delhi municipal corporation, South Delhi municipal corporation and East Delhi municipal corporation. The stage is set for a battle to win 272 seats in all three zones put together. While north and south Delhi municipal corporations have 104 seats each, the east Delhi municipal corporation has 64 seats that all three parties are vying for.

The total number of the electorate for the civic polls stands at 1,32,10,206, which include 73,15,915 men, 58,93,418 women and 793 voters in the other category, the state election commission said. The EC had said that the counting will take place on April 23 which was shifted by a day on Wednesday over CBSE examinations. the counting of votes and results will be on April 26.

The model code of conduct is already in place and nomination process will begin on March 27. April 3 would be the last date for filing nominations. the state EC will scrutinise nominations on April 5 and the last date to withdraw nominations will be April 8. polling will take place between 8 am and 5.30 pm on polling day and the state EC hopes to complete the polls before May 5. The expenditure limit for a candidate has been hiked from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 5.75 lakh this time around.

OneIndia News