Delhi: Rajinder Nagar bypoll today, last one hour for Covid +ve voters

The voting for the by-polls will take place between 7am and 6pm and Covid-19 positive persons will be allowed to vote in the last one hour (5pm to 6pm), the state election commission said the results will be declared on June 26.

As many as 164,698 eligible voters will exercise their franchise on Thursday to elect the next legislator of the Rajinder Nagar assembly segment, a seat that fell vacant after its incumbent MLA Raghav Chadha, of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), got elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab after his party stormed to power in that state.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal waves at the supporters during a roadshow for Rajinder Nagar assembly constituency by-elections, at Inder Puri in New Delhi.(PTI)

The voting for the by-polls will take place between 7am and 6pm and Covid-19 positive persons will be allowed to vote in the last one hour (5pm to 6pm), the state election commission said the results will be declared on June 26.

“I appeal to the voters of Rajinder Nagar constituency (AC-39) to serve our democracy and also set an example before the country by registering the highest ever voter turnout in the constituency. All polling stations have been instructed to follow Covid-19 protocols. Citizens should wear masks at all times while casting their vote at polling booths. The last one hour will be kept aside for voters who are Covid-19 positive and in quarantine and wish to vote. CATS ambulances have been arranged for such voters and this facility is being provided by the health teams of the New Delhi district administration,” said Ranbir Singh, Delhi’s chief electoral officer.

For the by-election on Thursday, the AAP has fielded senior leader Durgesh Pathak, who has also been the leader in charge of municipal affairs. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is looking to regain the seat, which it had held prior to the entry of AAP, has fielded former councillor Rajesh Bhatia. From the Congress, former councillor Prem Lata will contest the election.

In the 2020 Delhi assembly elections, Chadha had won Rajinder Nagar by a margin of 20,058 votes, defeating his nearest rival RP Singh of the BJP. The Congress, which hasn’t been able to win a single seat in Delhi since 2015, was a distant third with its candidate Rocky Tuseed getting only 3,941 votes of the 103,176 votes polled in the seat.

Of the 164,698 voters in the constituency, 92,221 are male, 72,473 female and four of the third gender. There are 591 persons with disability electors, 39 visually impaired electors and 64 service voters.

First time voters, within the age of 18-19 years, are 1,899. The gender ratio in the Rajinder Nagar constituency stands at 786. As many as 190 polling stations have been set up at 21 different locations in the constituency for people to cast their vote.

“While coming to the polling booth, people should bring their voter slip. If a voter has not received a voter slip, he/she should check the name in the voter list by calling on 1950 or the voter helpline app. If their name exists in the voter list, they should come to the booth and vote. Voters must carry their voter ID, or documents such as Aadhaar card, MNREGA job card, driver licence, PAN card, Indian passport or any service identity cards with photograph issued to employees of central/state/PSUs/public limited companies,” Singh said.

New Delhi district magistrate (DM) Monica Priyadarshini said her administration has decided to offer “Covid Suraksha kits” to every voter who turns up to vote. Also, free pick-up and drop facility will be provided for the differently abled, senior citizens above the age of 80 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. The beneficiaries can avail of the service by calling on helpline 1950 or opting for it on the CEO Delhi and DEO New Delhi websites. Electric rickshaws will be deployed at each polling station for the convenience of general voters as well.

“The New Delhi district has adopted an innovative practice this by-poll. All polling booths are green polling booths with no single use plastic items. All polling parties will be given earthen water bottles to propagate the message of eco-friendly elections. Polling stations 47 and 48 in New Rajinder Nagar are pink booths completely managed by women. Five polling booths at GSSS IARI Pusa will be model polling stations. Nigam Pratibha Vidyalaya in New Rajinder Nagar is our special polling booth managed by persons with disabilities,” Priyadarshini said.