Delhi officials worked all night to ensure poll success

Over 100 officials of the Delhi Election Commission worked throughout Wednesday night, compiling poll data that poured in from across the city.

Shattering all previous records, Delhi registered 65.86 percent voting till 8 p.m. Wednesday.

According an official who did not wish to be named, his election duty began at 8 a.m. and ended almost 24 hours later around 7 a.m. Thursday because voting time was extended till 8 p.m. the previous evening.

"It was a chaotic situation after 5 p.m. as everyone was caught off guard. Inputs kept coming till around 9.30 p.m.," said the official who was stationed at the commission's headquarters in north Delhi's Kashmere Gate.

"We had no choice but to continue with the extra work," the official added.

Another official said the pressure was intense and people took turns to eat or take a nap.

"We were taking 15-20 minutes break every few hours," the official said.

The officials prepared data relating to total voting percentage, number of men and women voters, constituencies that saw highest polling etc.

In addition, there were over 10,000 government officials working as presiding officers, who were stationed all over Delhi and had to work till late Wednesday.

They were relieved only after the 11,993 electronic voting machines were shifted to the strong rooms at various places in every district of Delhi under the watchful eye of paramilitary forces.

Delhi witnessed a record turnout of voters Wednesday. Around 70,000 government officials, including those of Delhi Police, paramilitary forces and home guards, were deployed to ensure peaceful polls.