"I am voting for India and its Constitution. We are citizens of India," said a woman on Saturday while waiting for her turn to vote outside a polling booth, set-up at the Shaheen Public School in the Shaheen Bagh area of South Delhi.
A large queue of voters thronged the polling booth here to exercise their franchise for the Delhi Assembly polls.
Shaheen Bagh area of Delhi had lately gained nationwide attention due to a continued anti-CAA sit-in by people, especially Muslim women against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register and National Register of Citizens.
All five polling stations in Shaheen Bagh have been declared 'critical' by Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
AAP's Amanatullah is the sitting MLA and 2020 candidate of the party, he is up against Congress's Parvez Hashmi and BJP's Brahm Singh Bidhuri.
A total number of 3,141 critical polling stations have been identified along with 144 vulnerable polling stations and 102 expenditure sensitive pockets.
As many as 190 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed for the smooth conduct of the Delhi Assembly election today. Besides this, 19,000 Home Guards and 42,000 Delhi Police personnel are deployed at polling booths across the national capital.
In the last elections, the AAP had registered a landslide victory by winning 67 seats. The BJP had won 3. The Congress didn't open its account.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is hoping to retain power for the second consecutive term.
Similarly, the BJP is hopeful to return to power by cashing in on the aura of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hard work done by Home Minister Amit Shah along with party chief JP Nadda.
The Congress, which was in power for 15 years at a stretch in Delhi under the leadership of former Chief Minister late Sheila Dixit till the party lost to AAP in 2015 polls, is hoping for a revival.
The political heavyweights are trying their luck from their old turfs. Chief Minister Kejriwal is contesting from New Delhi seat. BJP has fielded Sunil Yadav against him while Congress has fielded Romesh Sabbarwal from the seat.
AAP's Dilip Pandey is contesting from Timarpur, Atishi from Kalkaji, Raghav Chadha from Rajender Nagar.
BJP has fielded Vijender Gupta from Rohini. Former AAP leader Kapil Mishra is the BJP candidate from Model Town in this election. Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga is a BJP candidate from Hari Nagar.
Congress has fielded Arvinder Singh Lovely from Gandhi Nagar. Former AAP leader Alka Lamba is a Congress candidate from Chandni Chowk. Haroon Yusuf is contesting from Ballimaran.
Over 1.4 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the Delhi Assembly election.
Out of the total number of eligible voters -- 1,47,86,382, there are 81,05,236 male voters and 66,80,277 female voters. Besides this, there are 869 third gender voters.
AAP is contesting on all 70 seats, while the BJP has fielded its candidates on 67 seats and has left three seats for its allies -- two for JD-U and one for LJP. On the other hand, Congress is contesting on 66 seats and has given four seats to its ally RJD.
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