New Delhi: The counting of votes for all 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi commenced on Saturday under tight security at 19 counting centers across the city.

Chief Electoral Officer Alice Vaz stated that 5,000 personnel, including counting supervisors, assistants, micro-observers, and trained support staff, have been deployed to ensure a smooth process.

As per the Conduct of Election Rules, postal ballots are counted first, followed by the electronic voting machine (EVM) count, which begins 30 minutes later. The counting of both postal ballots and EVM votes then continues simultaneously.

Since 2019, VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) slips from five randomly selected polling stations in each constituency are cross-verified with the EVM count to enhance transparency.

With 1.55 crore eligible voters, Delhi recorded a 60.54% turnout in the February 5 election. A three-tier security arrangement, including 10,000 police personnel and two paramilitary companies at each center, has been implemented to ensure order.

The results will determine whether AAP continues its political dominance in Delhi or if the BJP can reclaim power in the national capital for the first time since 1998.

The AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, has held a stronghold in Delhi since 2015, securing 67 out of 70 seats in that election and 62 in 2020. Another AAP victory would solidify Kejriwal’s position both in Delhi and on the national political stage.

A BJP win, however, would mark its return to power in Delhi after over 26 years, breaking AAP’s stronghold. Meanwhile, the Congress, which ruled Delhi from 1998 to 2013, aims to revive its fortunes after failing to secure a single seat in the last two elections.