Grateful to BJP for believing in me: Kiran Bedi

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief ministerial candidate for Delhi Kiran Bedi on Saturday said that she was grateful to her party for believing in her and assigning her with such a responsible task.

"I would like to thank people of Delhi for voting in large numbers. Also, the current surveys are based on early voting hours, I'm confident surveys based on voter turnout from 3-6pm will be in favour of BJP. I'm grateful to BJP for reposing its faith in me and assigning me this responsibility," said Bedi.

Over 63 percent voter turnout was recorded till 5 p.m. today in the single-phased legislative assembly elections in Delhi.

The polling percentage this year is expected break the previous voter turnout records, with figures expected to reach as high as seventy percent.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her daughter and son-in-law Priyanka and Robert Vadra, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and BJP leaders Maneka Gandhi, Varun Gandhi and Jagdish Mukhi are among those who cast their votes today.

The chief ministerial candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party and Congress - Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Ajay Maken - also cast their votes.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi assembly began at 8 a.m. amid tight security. According to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, all arrangements are in place to ensure free and fair polling.

About 55,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure hassle free voting. The police will also undertake patrolling in different parts of the capital to prevent the distribution of liquor, money or any other allurements.

Over 1.33 crore electorate will decide the fate of 673 candidates.

The polling is presently on at 12,177 polling stations. Of these, 714 have been declared as critical and 191 as highly critical. Voting will continue till 6 p.m. in the evening.