Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: EC to Announce Poll Dates at 2 PM Today
Election Commission to Reveal Delhi Poll Schedule; Model Code of Conduct to be Enforced
New Delhi, India: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is all set to unveil the much-anticipated schedule for the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025. The announcement will be made during a press conference at Vigyan Bhawan, scheduled for 2 PM today. The Chief Election Commissioner, Rajeev Kumar, along with other senior officials, will address the media and disclose critical details such as polling dates, nomination deadlines, and other logistical arrangements.
The term of the current 70-member Delhi Legislative Assembly, formed after the 2020 elections, will end on February 23, 2025. According to the constitutional mandate, elections must be completed before this date to ensure the seamless formation of a new government. Traditionally, Delhi has witnessed single-phase Assembly elections, and experts predict a similar structure this time.
Speculations Around Election Dates
While official confirmation will be provided by the ECI, early speculations suggest that polling is likely to be held in the second week of February 2025. The Union Territory of Delhi comprises 70 Assembly constituencies, and the upcoming polls will mark the beginning of a high-stakes political battle in the capital city.
Key Political Contestants
The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections are expected to feature a triangular contest between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Indian National Congress. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, representing AAP, will seek his third consecutive term. Kejriwal, a prominent figure in Delhi politics, is set to contest from the New Delhi constituency once again. In a high-profile contest, he will face BJP’s Pravesh Verma and Congress’s Sandeep Dixit. The New Delhi seat has historically been considered a VIP constituency.
In the previous 2020 Assembly elections, AAP secured a landslide victory, winning 62 out of 70 seats. The BJP managed to win eight seats, while Congress drew a blank. Voter turnout was recorded at 62.82%, marking a decline from the 67.47% turnout in 2015.
Voter Demographics and Electoral Preparations
The Election Commission has recently released the updated voter list for the 2025 elections. According to the data, Delhi has a total of 1,55,24,858 registered voters. The breakdown includes 84,49,645 male voters, 71,73,952 female voters, and 2.08 lakh first-time voters aged 18 to 19. The announcement of the election schedule will also bring the Model Code of Conduct into immediate effect, regulating political activities to ensure free and fair elections.
A Farewell for Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar
This Delhi Assembly election is likely to be the last major electoral event overseen by Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who is scheduled to retire on February 18, 2025. His tenure has been marked by several key electoral reforms and initiatives to enhance voter participation.
