By IANS,
New Delhi : Politicians were among the first to cast their votes in the Delhi assembly elections Wednesday. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit queued up at 10 a.m. to cast their votes at a booth in the high-profile New Delhi assembly constituency.
Dikshit and Gandhi drove in to the Nirman Bhawan polling booth in a Range Rover.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Maneka Gandhi, who was already standing in the queue, was seen smiling at her sister-in-law Sonia Gandhi.
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Enthusiastic AAP polling agents!
Polling agents of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making their debut in the Delhi assembly elections, were more enthusiastic compared to those from other established parties.
AAP polling agents were the first to distribute slips and explain the voting process to electors outside the polling centres.
Seen as a spoiler in the Delhi elections, the AAP is challenging the ruling Congress and main opposition BJP on the corruption plank.
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No mobile phones please!
Some voters who stood in queues at the polling booths went away when they were told they could not carry their mobile phones inside.
The voters went back home or to their cars, left their phones behind and queued up again to cast their votes.
Electors also took to the social media to complain about problems faced by them. Many were seen complaining that helpline numbers were not working.
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Voters’ list in Urdu
Voters, specially in Muslim dominated areas, were pleasantly surprised when they found their names pasted outside each polling booth in Urdu as well. Usually the lists are only in Hindi and English.
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Names not found on voters’ lists
Many voters returned dejected when they failed to find their names on the lists despite having valid voter identity cards. The presiding officers turned them away as the revised voters’ lists did not mention their names.
People complained on Twitter and Facebook and also tried to call helpline numbers which they said were not working.