Highest voter turnout in Delhi recorded in Shakur Basti, lowest in Delhi Cantt

New Delhi: The highest voter turnout of 68 per cent in the national capital was recorded in Shakur Basti and Ballimaran assembly segments, with a sizable minority population, while Delhi Cantt recorded the lowest at 42.13 per cent. People from the two assembly segments voted in maximum numbers despite scorching heat and fasting during the ongoing Ramzan.

The opposition had demanded that the Election Commission postpone the polls because of the holy month.

Ballimaran and Shakur Basti recorded the highest voter turnout of 68.25 and 68.7 per cent respectively. Other minority-dominated areas like Matia Mahal (66.94 per cent), Seelampur (66.47 per cent), Mustafabad (65.22 per cent), Babarpur (62.14 per cent) also recorded an average voter turnout of 60 per cent. 

New Delhi assembly segment, known for its VVIP voters, saw a turnout of 52.58 per cent. Delhi recorded a voting percentage of 60.34 per cent, five per cent less than the 2014 Lok Sabha poll.

In 2014, Ballimaran clocked 67.17 per cent while Matia Mahal recorded 66.81 per cent. Okhla and Seelampur recorded 58.21 per cent and 68.11 per cent polling, respectively.

Mustafabad recorded 71.50 per cent polling, while Babarpur and Shakur Basti saw a turnout of 65.34 per cent and 70.19 per cent, respectively, in 2014.  The poll dates had set a war of words between the BJP and the opposition parties.

Leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had earlier said that holding elections during Ramzan will inconvenience Muslims.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain pointed out that Navratas, when many Hindus observe nine-day fast, will also fall during the elections.
Reacting to the controversy, the Election Commission had said that polls are conducted during Ramzan as an entire month cannot be excluded from the schedule. However, dates of main festivals and Fridays are avoided as poll days, it added.