New Delhi: A High Profile Lok Sabha Seat With Local Issues

BY NIVEDITA SINGH

The New Delhi Lok Sabha seat, which houses the residences and workplaces of all the key office holders in the country, has a set of local issues to deal with as it gears up for the May 12 polls. The constituency, formed in 1951, is the oldest of the seven constituencies of Delhi with 16,17,470 voters — a mix of the elite, middle-class central government employees and those from the lowest strata of the society. It houses prestigious institutions like the Parliament, Supreme Court, Central government offices, official residences of the President, Prime Minister, all the Union Ministers, top civil, judicial, military officials and the Diplomatic Enclave.

The constituency also has high-profile markets like the Khan Market, Defence Colony, South Extension, Connaught Place, Green Park, Hauz Khas and Lajpat Nagar. It is said that New Delhi is among those constituencies in the country where caste politics does not play a crucial role in the elections. Comprising 10 Assembly seats, the constituency was given a large area in south Delhi during the 2008 delimitation. The Assembly seats — Karol Bagh (SC), Patel Nagar (SC), Moti Nagar, Delhi Cantt, Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi, Kasturba Nagar, Malviya Nagar, R.K. Puram, Greater Kailash — have all been won by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Moti Nagar and Rajinder Nagar Assembly seats were added to the constituency in 2008 when the Karol Bagh Lok Sabha constituency was dissolved. The Malviya Nagar, R.K. Puram and Delhi Cantt Assembly seats were added to the South Delhi parliamentary constituency in 2008.

Starting from the sealing drive to lack of good roads, water supply and dysfunctional street lights, residents here have more to deal with. The sealing drive against unauthorized constructions was being carried out in Delhi as per the order of the Supreme Court. About 10,000 properties were sealed across the national capital for land misuse, including converting residential units into commercial ones, non-payment of conversion charges and increased pollution emissions since December 2017. Of these, about 3,000 properties were under the New Delhi Municipal Council. Malik said in his area alone, over 300 offices were sealed which added to the list of unemployed. A major chunk of the voters in the constituency are traders, who too have suffered due to the sealing drive.

In 2014, the New Delhi seat was bagged by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Meenakshi Lekhi who got 4,53,350 votes (47.02 per cent), while the AAP’s Ashish Khetan got 2,90,642 votes (30.14 per cent) and the Congress’ Ajay Maken came third with 1,82,893 votes (18.97 per cent). This time again, the seat will see a triangular contest between these parties. (IANS)

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