The stage is set for the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, with voting for all 70 constituencies scheduled in a single phase on February 5. The results, which will determine the next government in the national capital, will be announced after counting on February 8.
This election sees a three-way contest between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress. AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, has dominated the last two elections in 2015 and 2020, while Congress held power for 15 years before that under Sheila Dikshit. The BJP has been out of power in Delhi for 27 years, despite its influence in national politics.
Polling Details and Voter Demographics
Delhi has a total of 1.56 crore voters, comprising 83.76 lakh men, 72.36 lakh women, and 1,267 third-gender voters. A total of 13,766 polling stations have been set up across the city to facilitate the voting process.
To ensure smooth and inclusive voting, 733 polling stations have been designated for persons with disabilities. Security has been ramped up, with 220 paramilitary companies, 19,000 home guards, and 35,626 Delhi Police personnel deployed across the state.
For the electoral process, 21,584 ballot units, 20,692 control units, and 18,943 VVPATs (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails) have been prepared, along with dummy and Braille ballot papers to assist visually impaired voters.
Delhi Assembly Election 2020: AAP’s Historic Win
In the last Delhi Assembly elections in 2020, AAP secured a landslide victory, winning 62 out of 70 seats, while the BJP managed just 8 seats. Congress, which once held a strong foothold in the capital, failed to secure even a single seat.
AAP’s dominance began in 2015, when it secured 67 out of 70 seats, leaving only 3 for the BJP, while Congress again drew a blank.
Exit Poll Restrictions
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has imposed a ban on the release of exit polls until 6:30 PM on February 5, to prevent any influence on voter behavior.
In its statement on February 3, the ECI said:
“The period between 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM on February 5, 2025, is designated as the duration during which conducting, publishing, or publicizing exit polls via print, electronic, or any other media shall be strictly prohibited.”
Simultaneous Bypolls in Uttar Pradesh & Tamil Nadu
Apart from the Delhi elections, by-elections will also be held for the Milkipur assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh and the Erode (East) assembly seat in Tamil Nadu on February 5.
With high stakes and a closely contested battle, all eyes are now on February 8, when Delhi’s next ruling party will be determined.