Summary:
- Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer, R Alice Vaz, reported that election-related seizures amounting to Rs 194 crore have been made ahead of the February 5 assembly polls.
- Over 15 lakh posters and banners have been removed, and around 1.1 lakh personnel, including polling and security staff, have been deployed for election duties.
- The home voting facility has been availed by notable figures, including former Vice President Hamid Ansari, and is available for voters above 85 years and PwDs.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi, R Alice Vaz, announced on Friday that seizures worth Rs 194 crore have been recorded in the lead-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 5.
During a media briefing, she highlighted that this sum includes cash and other materials intercepted by the Flying Squad Team (FST) and Static Surveillance Team (SST), which alone confiscated Rs 8.92 crore. Additionally, items worth Rs 1.2 crore, including liquor, drugs, and precious materials, were seized at 175 inter-state border checkpoints in the city.
Vaz further stated that local authorities have so far removed around 15,65,550 posters, banners, and other defacement materials. She also mentioned that a total of 699 candidates are in the fray for the upcoming elections.
Regarding election preparations, the CEO revealed that mock polls have been conducted using randomly selected Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with candidates or their representatives present, as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India. Political parties were duly informed at each stage of the EVM process.
A total of 1,09,955 personnel have been deployed for election duties, including 68,733 polling staff, flying squad teams, sector magistrates, and expenditure monitoring personnel. The security forces include 220 companies of CAPF, 19,000 home guards, and 35,626 Delhi Police personnel. There are 19 counting centers across 11 districts, with a counting plan approved by the Election Commission.
Vaz also provided an update on the home voting facility, stating that 5,848 postal ballots have been cast so far. This initiative, aimed at voters above 85 years and persons with disabilities (PwDs), has been utilized by prominent figures, including former Vice President Hamid Ansari, BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi, and Gursharan Kaur, wife of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Concluding her statement, the CEO urged Delhi residents to participate actively in the elections and cast their votes on February 5.
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