2nd LD Writethru: Polling in Indian capital peaceful with 20 pct turnout

Polling has been peaceful in the Indian capital, recording nearly 20 percent voter turnout as of 11 a.m. (local time) Saturday.

Voting began amid tight security at 8 a.m. (local time) for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi, which has been under President's rule since February last year.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, main opposition Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi were among high- profile voters.

Earlier in the day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "As Delhi votes today, urging voters to go out and vote in large numbers. I particularly call upon my young friends to vote in record numbers."

Over 13 million people are eligible to vote in the Indian capital, where more than 600 candidates are contesting the 70 assembly seats.

The election in the national capital is being seen as a closely contested fight between the country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Congress, which had ruled Delhi for 15 years before being decimated in the polls in December 2013, is expected to finish a distant third in the race once again.

While the AAP is being led by 46-year-old former civil servant- turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal, who was the Chief Minister of Delhi for 49 days last year, the BJP has fielded former top cop Kiran Bedi.

The Congress has fielded former Sports Minister Ajay Maken as its chief ministerial contender though it is seen as a face-saving measure.

The results of the polls will be announced on February 10.

However, the BJP, which has been in a winning streak since the general elections last year, has said that the Delhi polls will not be a referendum on Modi, though the party projects development as agenda. Endi