Delhiites make a beeline for polling booths

Delhiites on Thursday turned up in substantial numbers early in the morning to cast their votes at the seven Lok Sabha constituencies.

As soon as voting began at 7 am, hundreds of people reached the polling booths apparently to avoid heat.

Upto 10 per cent polling was witnessed in the first two hours in several areas, including Delhi Cantonment, Mongolpuri, Patparganj and Vinod Nagar.

Among the early voters were Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Priyanka Gandhi and Union minister Kapil Sibal.

Priyanka along with her husband Robert voted at the Vidyabhavan Mahavidyalaya booth at Lodhi estate, 20 metres from her 35 Lodhi Estate residence.

Wearing a blue top and black jeans, she came to the booth at around 7.10 am to exercise her franchise.

Asked whether Congress will win all the seven seats in the capital, a beaming Priyanka said, "I certainly hope so".

She sent out a message to voters asking them to come out and vote for a party and Prime Minister who have worked for the development of the country.

Priyanka also hoped that the Congress would improve its tally across the country.

On the need for more allies for the party as projected by her brother and Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, she said, "let's see after May 16".

In Jamia Nagar, where a gunbattle in September last year between suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists and police created ripples in the area, the polling began on a slow note in the morning.

A substantial number of policemen were posted near the polling booth in Jamia Nagar and strict checkings were done by security personnel.

Deputy Chief Electoral Officer J K Sharma said there were complaints of non-functioning of EVMs in two polling booths in Laxmi Nagar area of East Delhi Lok Sabha seat.

There were also reports of non-functioning of EVMs in a polling booth in Kamla Market of Chandni Chowk seat.

An 81-year-old woman was one of the early voters at the Nirman Bhavan polling booth, a VIP polling booth in the capital where political heavyweights are exercising their franchise.