New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) As counting was underway for the by-elections held in 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the BJP was leading with wins in four seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had secured two seats, and the Congress had obtained one seat on Wednesday.

The BJP won the Shalimar Bagh seat, with Seema Goyal emerging victorious, while Suman Kumar Gupta secured the Chandni Chowk ward for the party. In Sangam Vihar, Congress candidate Suresh Choudhary won with 9,138 votes, marking a key gain for the party in the civic body. AAP claimed the Dakshin Puri ward, with Ram Swaroop Kanojia defeating his rivals.

Currently, in the 250-member MCD House, the BJP holds 115 seats, AAP has 99, the Indraprastha Vikas Party has 15, and the Congress holds 8. The bypolls mark the first major electoral test for the BJP after its sweeping victory in the recent Assembly elections. Meanwhile, the AAP and Congress view the contest as an opportunity to revive their political footprint in the national capital.

Ten counting centres were designated for the process, located in Kanjhawala, Pitampura, Bharat Nagar, Civil Lines, Rouse Avenue, Dwarka, Najafgarh, Gole Market, Pushp Vihar and Mandawali. Each centre was assigned specific wards and equipped with strong rooms, secure entry and exit points, and surveillance arrangements, the State Election Commission said.

According to the State Election Commission (SEC), overall voter turnout across the 12 wards was recorded at 38.51 per cent as of 5.30 p.m. on the November 30 polling day. A total of 580 polling stations were set up, with Chandni Mahal registering the highest turnout at 55.93 per cent. Officials confirmed that polling remained peaceful and incident-free.

The Commission said it worked closely with District Election Officers, Returning Officers, General Observers and security agencies to ensure transparency and efficiency throughout the process. An SEC official indicated that the complete results are expected to be announced by late morning or shortly after.

The bypoll outcome holds political relevance as it may influence the balance of power within the MCD. If the BJP manages to secure more seats as counting progresses, its tally may strengthen further.

A strong performance by the BJP is also expected to bolster the standing of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, potentially reinforcing public perception of her administration’s initiatives, including e-bus services, health and insurance programmes, and arrangements made for Chhath Puja devotees.

–IANS

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