Delhi MCD Bypolls Underway Across 12 Wards (Source: X/ @RAHUL980054)
Voting in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi by-elections in 12 wards started on Sunday morning as part of an important political moment in the national capital. Voting began at 7:30 am across 580 booths set up inside 143 polling stations, and it will continue till 5:30 pm. Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta cast her vote along with her family in the Shalimar Bagh area earlier today. These bypolls are being seen as a key indicator of public mood after the BJP swept the February assembly elections, ending AAP's hold on power for 10 years. The contest remains very keen as both BJP and AAP try to gain better control over the Delhi civic administration. Counting would begin on December 3.
The Delhi State Election Commission has arranged 580 polling booths across 143 stations for the bypolls. Voting will be conducted in the wards of Greater Kailash, Shalimar Bagh B, Ashok Vihar, Chandni Chowk, Chandni Mahal, Dichaon Kalan, Naraina, Sangam Vihar A, Dakshin Puri, Mundka, Vinod Nagar and Dwarka B.
Eleven of these seats turned vacant after their councillors among them Chief Minister Rekha Gupta from Shalimar Bagh B were elected to the Delhi Assembly. The Dwarka B ward has been empty since 2024 when former councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat won a Lok Sabha seat from West Delhi.
Out of the 51 candidates, 26 are women.
The BJP has nominated 8 women,
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded 6, and
The Congress has put forward 5.
Of the 12 wards going to polls, the BJP had previously held nine, while AAP controlled Chandni Chowk, Dakshinpuri and Chandni Mahal. At present, the MCD has 116 BJP councillors, 98 from AAP, 15 from the Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP), 8 from the Congress, and one independent, an MCD official said.
A key contest will be in the ward earlier represented by the Chief Minister, where Anita Jain (BJP) is facing Babita Ahlawat (AAP).
Both major parties BJP and AAP have expressed high confidence ahead of the vote.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, "BJP is all prepared and confident for tomorrow's MCD by-polls. People expect performance from us and we will deliver. So, we expect a grand win in this election on the basis of our Delhi government's and MCD's performance."
AAP leaders, meanwhile, claimed voters are unhappy with the BJP’s governance. They stated, “Public feedback shows clear dissatisfaction with BJP and a demand to restore AAP’s accountable governance. We expect to win a majority of these seats because residents have seen a steep decline in cleanliness, sanitation, and basic civic services over the past nine months. Voters see AAP as the only credible choice.”
However, AAP faced a setback on Saturday when its former two-time MLA Rajesh Gupta switched to the BJP. He said he felt unappreciated in his party. Responding to this, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj noted that Gupta wanted a councillor ticket for his wife something the party could not grant and wished him the best.
The Congress also believes the bypolls will boost its momentum. Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said voters were disappointed with both major parties. He added, “We are fully prepared for the MCD bye-elections, and in the last month, the Congress workers have worked hard day and night in all the 12 wards. People are looking at Congress as an alternative for the future.”
To ensure hassle-free polling, the State Election Commission has set up several arrangements:
DTC buses will start operations at 3:00 am.
Delhi Metro services will begin at 4:00 am on both polling and counting days.
Night buses on 28 routes will continue as usual.
The last metro on polling day will leave terminals at 11:30 pm.
Voters can also use the “Nigam Chunav Delhi” mobile app to check real-time queue status, find their polling station, look up candidate details, and search their names on the voter list. The app also offers wheelchairs, assistants, and pick-and-drop services for those who need support.
An SEC official explained, “The commission has redesigned the Voter Information Slip with a new QR code for BLO authentication and added important instructions on the back. We have also extended home voting facilities for disabled voters and those above 80 years of age, helping them exercise their franchise with dignity and comfort.”
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