The Election Commission of India has officially announced the schedule for the Delhi Assembly election, which is set to take place on February 5, 2025. The election will be conducted in a single phase across the 70 assembly constituencies, with the vote counting scheduled for February 8, 2025.
Three-Party Contest in Delhi
The election is expected to be a three-way fight between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress. AAP, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, will be aiming for a third consecutive term in office. Kejriwal’s leadership is expected to be a key factor in this race as he seeks to further establish his party’s dominance in Delhi politics.
Candidates Announced
AAP has announced all 70 candidates for the assembly election, with Kejriwal confirmed as their chief ministerial candidate. BJP has declared its first list of 29 candidates, including prominent figures such as Parvesh Verma, who will contest against Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency. Additionally, Ramesh Bidhuri is set to challenge Chief Minister Atishi in the Kalkaji constituency. Congress has announced 48 candidates for the election, leaving a few positions still to be filled. Despite the partial announcement, Congress aims to regain a significant presence in the assembly.
Important dates to remember
January 10, 2025: Notification for the election will be issued.
January 17, 2025: Last date for filing nominations.
January 18, 2025: Scrutiny of nominations.
January 20, 2025: Final date for withdrawing nominations.
February 5: Polling will take place
February 8: Results
Voter Details: The final electoral roll, released recently, reveals that Delhi has over 1.55 crore registered voters. This includes 83.5 lakh male voters, 71.7 lakh female voters, and 1,261 third-gender voters. The increase in the number of voters compared to previous years also highlights the growing participation of young citizens, with 52,554 first-time voters aged 18-19. This indicates a higher level of youth engagement in the political process.
Political Campaigns and Concerns
The AAP has already begun its campaign with the release of a new song titled “Phir Layenge Kejriwal,” emphasizing the promise of another term under Kejriwal’s leadership. AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar criticized both BJP and Congress for their lack of preparation and expressed confidence in a fair election. Meanwhile, the BJP candidate from the Malviya Nagar constituency, Satish Upadhyay, has stated that the Election Commission of India will ensure that the elections are conducted fairly.
Tensions have also arisen around the voter list. Sanjay Singh, an AAP MP, accused the BJP of deleting names from the voters’ list, while Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi BJP President, accused AAP of manipulating the elections through double voting.
Election Timeline Comparison: In the previous Delhi Assembly elections held in 2020, the election was announced on January 6, polling occurred on February 8, and the results were declared on February 11. This year’s election follows a similar timeline, with voting set for February 5 and results expected on February 8.
