Delhi polls: Cong retains deposit in just 3 seats, 80% candidates lose out

Delhi elections results 2025: Congress faced a significant setback, with nearly 80 per cent of all candidates - including independent contenders - failing to retain their security deposits

Of the 699 candidates contesting the Delhi Assembly elections, 555 (79.39 per cent) forfeited their security deposits in the polls held on February 5. Among them, Congress candidates lost their deposits in all but three constituencies.  

 

Congress faced a significant setback, with nearly 80 per cent of all candidates — including independent contenders — failing to retain their security deposits. However, all candidates from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its allies, Janata Dal (United) and LJP (Ram Vilas), managed to retain theirs following the declaration of results on Saturday.  

 

The BJP made a comeback in Delhi after more than 26 years, securing victory in 48 of the 70 assembly seats, while AAP won 22 seats.  

 

 

Delhi elections results: Congress faces huge setback

 

It was a disappointing outcome for Congress, which not only failed to secure a single seat for the third consecutive election but also saw 67 of its candidates lose their deposits. The party, which governed Delhi for three consecutive terms until 2013, had fielded candidates in all 70 constituencies.   

 

Only three Congress candidates — Abhishek Dutt from Kasturba Nagar, the sole party member to finish second, Rohit Choudhary from Nangloi Jat, and Devendra Yadav from Badli — were able to retain their deposits.  

 

Shifa-ur-Rehman Khan of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), who contested from Okhla, also managed to retain his deposit, despite his party fielding candidates in only two seats.  

 

As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a general category candidate contesting an election must submit a security deposit of Rs 10,000 to the Election Commission. Candidates from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are required to deposit Rs 5,000.  

 

Under electoral law, a candidate’s deposit is forfeited if they fail to secure election and do not receive more than one-sixth of the total valid votes cast.