New Delhi: Over 43 per cent voters in the Rajinder Nagar assembly constituency in Delhi exercised their franchise in Thursday’s bypoll to the crucial seat, officials said. This is significantly less than the figures recorded in the 2020 polls, when the voter turnout in Rajinder Nagar was 58.27 per cent — 58.09 per cent male voters and 58.5 per cent female voters.
The final voter turnout at the close of polling on Thursday stood at 43.75 per cent, they said. Also, 24 Covid-positive voters turned up to cast their votes, the officials said. Voting for the bypoll to the Rajinder Nagar assembly seat in Delhi began on Thursday at 7 am and continued till 6 pm.
Visuals from Salwan School polling booth in Old Rajinder Nagar. (Photo Credit: Kritika Bansal/india.com)
A total of 1,64,698 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the by-election, in which 14 candidates are in the fray. Water shortage and the city government’s liquor policy are among the key election issues. The Rajinder Nagar seat fell vacant after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha was elected to Rajya Sabha recently.
The bypoll to the Rajinder Nagar seat is largely being seen as a battle between a confident AAP and a spirited BJP. AAP’s Durgesh Pathak is likely to have a close contest with BJP’s Rajesh Bhatia, who had also been a councillor from the area. The Congress has fielded former councillor Prem Lata.
(With PTI inputs)
