PARTIES GEAR UP FOR DELHI SHOWDOWN Delhi will vote to elect a new Assembly on February 7, the Election Commission announced on Monday. The previous Assembly polls, in end-November 2013, had led to a hung House with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), emerging as the single largest party with 32 seats Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath (centre) (including one seat won by ally with Election Commissioners H S Brahma (left) and Shiromani Akali Dal) but four short Syed Ahmed Zaidi (right) in New Delhi on Monday PHOTO: PTI of the majority mark of 36-seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly. Polls Feb 7 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with Counting of votes 28 seats, formed the government Feb 10 with outside support from the Number of electors 13 million Congress (eight seats). The Arvind Polling stations 11,763 Kejriwal-led government quit Seats after 49 days. President’s Rule was 70* imposed thereafter and the Poll expenditure limit per candidate ~28 lakh Assembly was finally dissolved in Last date for filing nominations Jan 21 November 2014. The BJP won all seven seats in the Lok Sabha Last date for withdrawal of nominations Jan 24 elections in May 2014. *58 General, 12 Scheduled Castes DELHI POLLS: IN HISTORY Delhi got a legislative Assembly, while remaining a Union Territory, in 1991 and has witnessed five Assembly elections since 1993. However, the first Assembly elections were held to a 48-member house in 1952. Delhi was made a Union Territory in 1956. In 1966, a Delhi Metropolitan Council was set up as an elected body to advise the Lieutenant-Governor. L K Advani of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh served as the first chairman (1967-70) of the first elected council. That set-up was ended with the 1991 Constitutional amendment. The Delhi Legislative Assembly replaced the Council in 1993 but three subjects — public order, land and police — remain outside its purview as against nine that were beyond the ambit of the Council. SEAT TALLY AND CMS Assembly elections Government Parties Chief minister BJP 49, Cong 14, Madan Lal Khurana 1993 BJP Others 7 Sahib Singh Verma Sushma Swaraj Congress 52, BJP 15, 1998 Congress Sheila Dikshit Others 3 Congress 47, BJP 20, 2003 Congress Sheila Dikshit Others 3 Congress 43, BJP 23, 2008 Congress Sheila Dikshit Others 4 BJP+ 32, AAP 28, Arvind Kejriwal 2013 AAP* Congress 8, Others 2 (49 days) President’s Rule Note: Others includes Independents and smaller parties; *AAP government with outside support from Congress that lasted 49 days Source: Election Commission.