Counting of votes for the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 began on Saturday to decide whether the AAP will return for a historic third consecutive term or the BJP will form the government in the national capital after more than two decades.
Congress, which drew a blank last time, will be hoping to make its mark this time in the 70-member assembly.
The AAP won 67 of the 70 seats in 2015, while, in 2020, it returned to power with 62 seats.
Counting is being done amid tight security at 19 locations across the national capital. Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer Alice Vaz said 5,000 personnel, including counting supervisors and assistants, micro-observers, and support staff have been deployed.
Postal ballots will be counted first and the counting of votes recorded in electronic voting machines (EVMs) will begin 30 minutes later. Then, counting of votes cast through postal ballots and EVMs will continue simultaneously.
According to the Election Commission of India, the Delhi Assembly elections saw a voter turnout of 60.54 per cent, with 94,51,997 people casting their votes on February 5 – 50.42 lakh were men, 44.08 lakh women, and 403 third-gender.
Delhi Assembly Election 2025: What the exit polls said
Several exit polls have predicted a BJP win, while two have given the edge to the ruling AAP. Congress is unlikely to make any significant gains from last elections, according to the exit polls.
The ‘poll of the polls’ (average of all exit polls) gave 39 seats to the BJP and 30 to AAP.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has claimed his party will win nearly 50 seats, while the AAP has asserted it will form the government again with its convener Kejriwal becoming chief minister again.
Delhi Assembly Election 2025: Drama ahead of counting day
Ahead of the counting day, tensions ran high outside AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's residence as a team of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) reached there, seeking evidence regarding his allegations that the BJP attempted to poach AAP candidates.
As Kejriwal did not meet ACB officials at his 5, Ferozeshah Road bungalow, they served him a legal notice seeking proof. The move comes soon after Lt Governor V.K. Saxena ordered an ACB probe into the matter.