New Delhi: Voting for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections is underway. NDTV.com's Shobhit Sujay and Amit Chaturvedi travel across some of the sensitive areas of the national capital Delhi to get a feel of the voters' mood in the city.
Here's a blow-by-blow account of the poll show:
1pm, Chandni Chowk: The walled city area, known for its chaotic nature, is calm today. "The residents are behaving in a mature way. There's no chaos at the polling booths," says a polling official. The official adds that everyone is now aware of his/her voting right, so there's no problem.
Chandni Chowk is witnessing a tough battle between sitting MP and Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal (Congress) and the Chairman of Delhi's Municipal corporation BJP's Vijender Gupta. People are standing in a queue. Young and old alike have come in large numbers.
12.47pm: A polling booth in Mukherjee Nagar sets an example. Heavy polling on while only two police personnel - one male and one female - are guarding the area. And people from all age groups are voting. Since most of the voters from this area are into business, the issue of sealing & demolition is domination their minds, more than security or anything else. A first-timer tells me that he wants change, change in the governance.
12 noon, Bengali Market: This Central Delhi constituency is witnessing moderate polling. Comprised of mostly Govt employees, people are coming with their families. But they aren't passionate about voting. The general perception here is that politicians do nothing for the voters. One of the residents, Raj Kumar, says, "I came here to cast my vote because I've been a regular voter. But I know that politicians won't do anything for us." The 60-year-old is also miffed at the fact that few youngsters exercise their franchise.
11.15am, Greater Kailash: Most of the voters I can see around are people above the age of 60. When I asked the veterans about it, they said they were clueless. A 66-year-old voter said, "We really don't know what's the reason. Perhaps there are lesser youngsters here." In the meantime, just spotted a middle-aged woman, busy trying to erase the ink mark from her finger with a hanky. She left the booth in a car. The turnout here is somewhat low.
11.10am, Hari Nagar (West): Polling is brisk. Heavy turnout can be expected from the area by end of the day. Jagdish Mukhi seems to be the top contender. Both young and old people are coming out to vote, but they are divided over the issues. Some are voting on the issue of development while others on price rise. For some the candidate is the factor and for others the party...
11am, Sundar Nagar: The poll booth wore a deserted look in this posh Delhi locality. Not many residents turned up to vote. Though security personnel were in adequate number, people in the nearby slums decided not to vote.
10.45am: Just met 24-year-old Kaleem who is pursuing an MA in Jamia Millia Islamia University. He's determined to use his voting right. But despite being a student of a prestigious institution, he doesn't know the names of the candidates. He will vote for the congress because he feels that "riots don't happen" when Congress is in power. "It's a good party for Muslims," he says.
Meanwhile, heavy security has been deployed in the Batla House area and several roads have been blocked. Also, police officers on horses can be seen patrolling around.
10.17am: When I further asked if it was being done on the authorities' behest, the man said smilingly: "Yahee samajh lijiye."
10.10am: As I entered the Batla House area, I saw four people sitting on chairs with heaps of papers scattered all over a table. People stood around the table to get those papers checked.
I was a little surprised as this polling booth didn't have any security, but on reaching nearby, I discovered a banner of Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit. Then, I got to learn that the papers on the table were voters' lists. People were looking for their names on the lists, and most shockingly, were also filling their polling forms, to make things easy for them at the polling booth. But failing to suppress my curiosity, I enquired what was happening there. Pat came the reply - a person sitting there termed it "Samaaj Sevaa".
9.30am: Poll frenzy finally seems to be catching up with voters coming out in large numbers at a poll booth here in Indraprastha Extension, Patparganj. And apart from the aged, young people are also there. And there seems to be a positive attitude among them.
Twenty-one-year-old college student Abhinav says, "No matter what people say, I personally feel everyone should vote as it is our right." The first-time voter wants Rahul Gandhi to be the PM. Amid frisking and intensive checking, people have formed queues.
8. 45am: Struck a conversation with one of the more high-spirited voters..."I do believe my vote makes a difference," says Raju who is a 28-year-old worker in a private firm. But then, there are others who think voting is a "routine act" for people, not that it yields much for the common man...
8.30am: Voting is on, but there are no long queues. Elaborate security arrangements are in place as this is one of the sensitive areas in the national capital. Quick Reaction Teams are on standby, geared up to tackle trouble, if any.
7.30am: The voters mostly comprised of middle-aged people who had come out early to vote as they have to leave for their office.
Many elderly people also accompanied them. However, very few youngsters or college-going students were seen.
A positive attitude was visible among the voters. "I had to reach office by 9. So I came in early as there are very few people at that time," said one of the voters.
7.02am: Polling began at a moderate pace in the east Delhi constituency with mostly the morning walkers exercising their franchise in the first 30 minutes.
The key players in this area are Congress's Sandeep Dikshit and BJP's Chetan Chauhan.
7am: Am standing near the Nagar Nigam School, Trilok Puri, in east Delhi.