Delhi Lok Sabha elections: Know what's open and what's closed
All seven constituencies in Delhi will go to the polls in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. The election will be a two-way battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the one hand and the Congress-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alliance on the other. Currently, all seven Lok Sabha seats are with the BJP. In preparation for Saturday's event, authorities have imposed several restrictions to ensure smooth polling. Here's what will be open and closed:
Election day restrictions and services in Delhi
A restriction on liquor sales has already been put into place in Delhi 48 hours ahead of polling. The excise department has announced that all liquor stores and licensed premises in Delhi and nearby areas, such as Faridabad and Gurugram, will remain closed on May 25. This directive is in line with orders issued by the Election Commission of India, effective from May 23 at 6:00pm until May 25 at 6:00pm.
Additional restrictions and services on Election Day
Schools in Delhi will remain closed on Saturday due to heatwave conditions. The Delhi government has directed all private schools to start summer vacations immediately. Banks will also be closed on May 25, which is the fourth Saturday of the month. However, public transportation services like metro and bus services will commence early on polling day to facilitate voter turnout.
Early commencement of public transportation services
To facilitate voter turnout, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced that metro services on all lines will commence at 4:00am on May 25. The DMRC stated, "On the day of the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi on May 25, Delhi Metro train services on all lines will start at 4:00am." Additionally, bus services will be increased with additional routes being operated by both the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd (DIMTS).
What will remain open tomorrow
Essential services such as hospitals, pharmacies, and public transit will be operational on May 25. Shops, restaurants, and malls will also be open on polling day in Delhi. A total of 58 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across six states and two union territories (UTs) will go to the polls on Saturday to decide the fate of 889 candidates. The seventh (last) phase of the election will be held on June 1.
