Delhi Gears Up for Elections: Key Rules and Candidate Insights

Ahead of the Delhi assembly elections on February 5, the Chief Electoral Officer has issued directives to political parties and candidates, emphasizing restrictions on print media advertisements before and during the polls. The election will see 719 candidates vying for 70 seats, with results announced on February 8.

In anticipation of the February 5 Delhi assembly elections, the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi has issued a formal directive to all national and state political parties. The directive mandates that parties and their candidates are prohibited from publishing any print media advertisements on the day of the election and the preceding day within the Delhi region. The policy stipulates that exceptions can only be made if the political advertisements undergo pre-certification by the MCMC Committee at the respective state or district levels.

Delhi's political landscape readies itself for a crucial election, where 70 assembly seats are at stake. The electoral battle involves 719 candidates, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI), with voting scheduled for February 5 and the counting of votes set for February 8. The ECI reports a total of 1,040 nominations were accepted after scrutiny, out of which 477 were rejected from an initial pool of 981 filed nominations.

The New Delhi assembly constituency has seen the highest number of candidates, totaling 23, whereas Patel Nagar and Kasturba Nagar constituencies recorded the lowest, at five candidates each. Among the high-profile contenders is former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, aiming for reelection against formidable rivals including BJP's Parvesh Verma and Congress' Sandeep Dikshit, highlighting the fierce political competition the election promises.

(With inputs from agencies.)