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Local elections end in Indian capital
December 4, 2013, 1:02 pm

[AP]

More than 10 million voters were eligible to cast their ballots at 11,753 polling stations in Delhi [AP]

State elections in the Indian capital city of Delhi ended on Wednesday with voter turnout expected to be over 70 per cent, as the ruling Congress Party seeks a fourth consecutive term in the State Assembly.

The Delhi Election Commission said polling in the city “was peaceful and there were no reports of any untoward incident”.

“My city Delhi busts the myth that urbanites dont [sic] care about elections,” tweeted noted Indian journalist Barkha Dutt.

The Congress-led national government was voted back to power in Delhi in 2009 but has since seen its support dwindle with accusations of massive corruption and rising inflation.

More than 10 million voters were eligible to cast their ballots at 11,753 polling stations in Delhi where over 800 candidates are contesting the local elections.

Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev said he expected the final voter turnout percentage to be between 70 and 75 per cent.

The Delhi poll and four other state ballots were held in recent weeks, results of which are due on Sunday.

Opinion polls conducted by various private Indian firms have suggested the Delhi elections could be the cliffhanger with the ruling Congress Party being challenged by the main opposition party, the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party and the new entrant, the Aam Admi Party (Common Man’s Party).

General elections are due by May 2014 in the world’s biggest democracy.

Source: Agencies