Delhi to vote on Feb 5 in single phase, counting on Feb 8: Election Commission

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday announced the election and counting dates for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.

Voting for Delhi elections would be conducted in a single phase only on February 5 and the counting of votes on February 8.

The last date to file nominations is January 17 and the scrutiny of nominations will be done by January 18.

Candidates will be able to withdraw their nominations till January 20.

"It is a single-phase election… We have deliberately kept polling on a Wednesday so more people come out to vote… like we did in Maharashtra," Kumar said at a press conference.

There are nearly 1.55 crore voters in Delhi, including 71.74 lakh women and over 2 lakh first-time voters, informed CEC Rajiv Kumar.

Kumar also said, "EC will ensure a strict crackdown on the use of money power in Delhi elections, and proper checking of everyone will be conducted."

Bypolls to two assembly constituencies -- Milkipur in Uttar Pradesh and Erode in Tamil Nadu -- will also be held according to the same schedule.