Voting began Sunday morning for the bypolls of five Delhi municipal wards, the results of which are expected to impact the 2022 civic elections. Voting began at 7:30 am amid tight security.
The main contenders are the ruling Aam Aadmi party, the BJP and Congress. All have expressed their confidence that they will emerge victorious from the bypolls, which are unfolding amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Delhi State Election Commission, around 2.42 lakh can vote in two wards of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and three wards of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).
These municipal districts are Rohini-C, Shalimar Bagh (North), Trilokpuri, Kalyanpuri and Chauan Banger. While Shalimar Bagh (North) is reserved for women, Trilokpuri and Kalyanpuri are reserved for the SC category, according to the polling body.
The bypasses are considered the semi-final before the elections in all 272 MCD neighborhoods in early 2022. The results of the bypasses will be announced on March 3, officials said, adding that there were 327 polling stations and 26 candidates in the fray.
Officials said patients with COVID-19 can vote during the last hour of voting, according to government guidelines. Of Delhi’s 272 wards, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and South Delhi Municipal Corporation have 104 each and East Delhi Municipal Corporation have 64.
The BJP has controlled the three companies since 2012, when the former Delhi municipality was trifurcated into North, South and East companies. The main candidates in the Kalyanpuri neighborhood starting elections are Dhirendra from AAP, Siyaram Kanojia from BJP and Dharampal Maurya from Congress.
AAP’s Vijay Kumar, BJP’s Om Prakash Gugarwal and Congressman Bal Kishan are in contention from the Trilokpuri neighborhood. In Chauhan Banger, former AAP MP Haji Ishraq Khan is opposed to Chaudhary Zubair Ahmad of Congress and Nazir Ansari of BJP.
These three districts fall under the East Delhi Municipal Corporation. The AAP held these rooms. The bypasses were necessary after sitting advisers contested the assembly ballots last year and became MPs. In the northern district of Shalimar Bagh, which became vacant after the death of the BJP adviser, the competition pits Surbhi Jaju from the saffron party, Sunita Mishra from the AAP and Mamta from the Congress.
The BJP retained all three companies in the 2017 civic polls, with the AAP finishing far behind.