Delhi CM Rekha Gupta casts vote in MCD bypolls, urges electors to vote

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday cast her vote for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) bypolls at a polling booth in Government Girls Senior Secondary School, AP Block, Shalimar Bagh.

Shalimar Bagh-B, a ward reserved for women, is among the 12 wards undergoing polling today along with Mundka (General), Ashok Vihar (Women), Chandani Chowk (General), Chandani Mahal (General), Dwarka-B (Women), Dichaon Kalan (Women), Naraina (General), Sangam Vihar-A (General), Dakshin Puri (Scheduled Caste) Greater Kailash (Women), and Vinod Nagar (General) wards. The counting of votes will take place on December 3.

Speaking to reporters, Rekha Gupta urged residents to cast their vote, stressing the importance of participation in strengthening democracy.

“Bypolls are being held on 12 seats, and people are showering the BJP candidates with great love and support. I want to urge everyone to use their right and cast their vote. Voting percentage must be good,” the Chief Minister told reporters.

“My only request to the voters of these 12 wards is that they use their vote correctly because through this vote alone will they be able to choose the right representative for Delhi,” she told reporters.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal also appealed to voters to participate in the bypolls.

“Today, voting is taking place in Delhi for the municipal corporation by-elections. I humbly appeal to all voters in the wards where voting is happening to definitely use their vote,” Kejriwal wrote on X.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of the national capital recorded a dismal voter turnout of 12.63 per cent as of 11:30 am during the polling for the bypolls.

Vijay Dev, Election Commissioner for the National Capital Territory of Delhi and Union Territory of Chandigarh, said that security arrangements and special measures, including 100 per cent webcasting, have been deployed for the polling.

Dev said, “Bypolls are being held in 12 wards across Delhi today, and polling is proceeding peacefully. All elaborate security arrangements have been put in place, along with special measures to enhance voter convenience, including 100% webcasting. We can fully monitor all polling stations. We have also provided a real-time online voter management system that allows all voters to see voter turnout at the polling station. We have arranged postal ballots for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.”

“Our team visited their homes to make all necessary arrangements, prioritising their safety and security. Therefore, our bypoll symbolically represents public sentiment, highlighting the crucial role of third-tier ground-level government. That’s why we’ve urged all citizens to actively participate to bolster our democracy,” he added.

Further, the Election Commissioner said that the poll body has not received any complaints from the political parties.

He adds, “All our arrangements are foolproof, and we haven’t received any complaints. We have considered all political parties as stakeholders and involved them in detailed planning at every stage, from initial checks to other procedures. The entire process was completed through collaboration with all political parties, and we are working diligently to guarantee a completely free and fair election.”

Meanwhile, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of engaging in “dishonesty” ahead of the polling. He alleged that a former SHO campaigned alongside the BJP leaders in the Dakshinpuri ward and asked the ECI to investigate it.

The AAP leader said, “Bypolls are being held in 12 MCD wards in New Delhi. Three of these wards are held by the AAP, and nine by the BJP. Even in this small election, the BJP attempted to engage in dishonesty. In the Dakshinpuri ward, the former SHO, Rampal, is campaigning for votes alongside the BJP candidate, intimidating and threatening residents. We released the video to the public. The commissioner, police, and Election Commission have yet to take any action against him.”

“We observed in Mundka, Dakshinpuri, and several other areas, and exposed how BJP members gathered poor people in temples the night before voting. What were they doing there? Distributing money? Offering inducements? The Election Commission didn’t even investigate their actions. Therefore, we believe that if the BJP resorts to such dishonesty in a small election, what might they do in a larger one?” Bharadwaj added. (ANI)