Delhi MCD Election: Polling starts amid tight security

A total of 13,665 polling stations have been set up for 250 wards, where polling is underway today.

Residents of the capital have started appearing outside the polling booths early in the morning to exercise their franchise. People were seen queuing up in many polling stations.

A total of 1349 candidates are in the fray in the national capital’s civic polls where Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP campaigned intensely seeking votes to dismantle the BJP which rules the MCD while the Congress reached out to the voters in the hopes of gaining some ground.

Meanwhile, Delhi has been put on high alert and security has been beefed up at all its borders in view of the elections.

Around 84,000 Delhi Police, Para Military and Home Guard personnel have been deployed in the security system.

Senior officers will keep an eye on all the booths. A total of 55,000 personnel of Delhi Police, around 8,000 personnel of paramilitary forces, including 108 companies of CRPF, SSB, ITBP and BSF, and 21,000 Home Guard personnel have been deployed.

Over 1.46 crore residents across all wards of the capital are eligible to vote in the civic elections.

Delhi Police is constantly keeping an eye on sensitive areas. CCTVs have been installed at all the polling booths. Transport facilities for the elderly and differently-abled have been arranged so that they can participate in voting.

Delhi Metro train services on all lines started from 4 am from all terminal stations with a frequency of 30 minutes till 6 am.

After 6 am, trains will run as per the usual Sunday timetable.

(With UNI inputs)