Basic duty of every citizen to vote, says EAM Jaishankar after voting for Delhi polls

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was among the first voters to arrive at the polling station and exercise their democratic franchise for the assembly elections.

Jaishankar cast his vote at the polling station set up at NDMC School of Science and Humanities Education at Tuglak Cresent along with wife Kyoko Jaishankar on early Saturday morning.

"It is a basic duty of every citizen to vote. It is important to get out and contribute," he said.

Over 1.4 crore people, who are eligible to vote in the Delhi Assembly election, will choose 70 MLAs today.

Polling for the 70 seats of Delhi Assembly had begun at 8 a.m. The voting will continue till 6 p.m. in the evening.

In the last elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had registered a landslide victory by winning 67 seats. The BJP had won 3. The Congress didn't open its account.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP is hoping to retain power for the second consecutive term.

Similarly, the BJP is hopeful to return to power by cashing in on the aura of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hard work done by Home Minister Amit Shah along with party chief JP Nadda.

The Congress, which was in power for 15 years at a stretch in Delhi under the leadership of former Chief Minister late Sheila Dixit till the party lost to AAP in 2015 polls, is hoping for a revival.

AAP is contesting on all 70 seats, while the BJP has fielded its candidates on 67 seats and has left three seats for its allies -- two for JD-U and one for LJP. On the other hand, Congress is contesting on 66 seats and has given four seats to its ally RJD.