Delhi Assembly Polls: Former VP Hamid Ansari casts vote at residence under mobile postal ballot facility

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) was developed to allow voters to cast their vote remotely. This system is in line with the existing Postal Ballot System, which enables voters to receive and return their postal ballots electronically, even if they are outside their originally assigned voting constituency.

The Delhi Chief Electoral Office initiated the "vote from home" program on January 23, which is available for senior citizens aged 85 and above or those with disabilities. The Election Commission of India had first introduced this home voting facility during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

According to the poll body, 6,399 senior citizens and 1,050 physically challenged individuals have opted for the home voting facility. With just a week left before Delhi heads to the polls on February 5, the Election Commission held a high-level meeting to review preparedness for the upcoming elections. The meeting was led by the Deputy Election Commissioner, with participation from top officials, including those from the Delhi Police, the Delhi Municipal Corporation, and various other authorities.

The race for Delhi's 70 assembly seats has intensified as Election Day approaches, with the main contenders -- BJP, AAP, and Congress -- trading criticisms. The elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are contesting for the 70 seats.

In the last two assembly elections, AAP has dominated with major victories, winning 67 and 62 seats in 2015 and 2020, respectively. BJP secured three and eight seats in these elections, while Congress, which held power in Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has faced setbacks and failed to win any seats in the past two assembly elections. (ANI)