Delhi election turnout has been recorded at 62.59%. (Representational)
The turnout in the Delhi assembly election was 62.59 per cent, the Election Commission said on Sunday- more than 24 hours after voting and amid much concern about the delay and tampering of Electronic Voting Machine from the Aam Aadmi Party. Denying there was any delay, the Commission also brushed away Aam Aadmi Party's claim of irregularities.
The final figure - up from Saturday's provisional figure of 57 per cent -- came out in "good time", the Commission said.
"It is a process, as and when it is finalised, it is shared with you," said Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh. The data, he said, had to be collated through the night and the Returning Officers were busy.
This afternoon, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had questioned the delay in the announcement of the final figures. "Absolutely shocking. What is EC doing? Why are they not releasing poll turnout figures, several hours after polling?" his tweet read.
AAP has claimed that efforts are being made to tamper with the Electronic Voting Machines and tweeted videos to back the claim.
Regarding senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh's allegation of irregularities at a polling station at Babarpur, the Commission said the machines in question were reserve machines, which were not used for polling.
The official seen in the video was assigned two places and issued two sets of machines, the election officer said.
"He had kept one machine at one place and the other on the second. He had to walk 700 meters. He first went to the place which was near and then he took the other machine. The official was taking the machines when some people accosted him," he added.
After reporting unusually low voter turnout through most of the day on Saturday, the Election Commission reported a spurt in turnout and released provisional figures at the end of voting at 57.06 per cent though officials said the number was likely to go up in the final tally.
The polling figure this time is short of last time's turnout of 67.5 per cent. Mr Singh, however, pointed out that the figure is about two per cent more than the Lok Sabha election. In Vidhan Sabha, the turnout was 67 per cent.