The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the upcoming Delhi Legislative Assembly elections.
The elections will be conducted in a single phase on February 5, with the votes being counted on February 8. The deadline for filing nominations is January 17, followed by the scrutiny of nominations on January 18. Candidates will have until January 20 to withdraw their nominations.
With the election dates now confirmed, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has been enforced in Delhi and will remain in place until the election process concludes.
The final voter list for the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, published on January 6, 2025, shows a total of 1,55,24,858 registered voters in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, reflecting a 1.09% increase in the voter base.
As the elections draw near, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ramped up its campaigning. BJP candidates have criticized Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his alleged involvement in the Delhi Excise Policy case, and expressed confidence in forming the next government, promising a “double engine” administration.
The BJP has also accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders of corruption and poor governance, while the AAP, aiming for a third consecutive term in power, is focusing on promoting its achievements in the education and healthcare sectors.
In the contest for the New Delhi seat, the BJP has fielded Parvesh Verma, former MP and son of the late Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, to challenge Arvind Kejriwal. The Congress has nominated Sandeep Dixit, son of former Delhi CM Sheila Dixit, from the same constituency.
For the Kalkaji seat, the BJP has chosen former MP Ramesh Bidhuri to contest against Delhi CM Atishi, while the Congress has put forward former MLA Alka Lamba.
The Congress, which held power in Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has faced setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has not secured a single seat. In contrast, the AAP achieved a landslide victory in the 2020 assembly elections, winning 62 of the 70 seats, while the BJP won only eight seats.
