Record turnout, a familiar winner
What happened
Indian National Congress, contesting under a new banner after a national split, still won easily.
The INC, running as INC(R), won 44 of the 56 seats on offer — a landslide result.
Its nearest rival, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, won just 5 seats.
What changed
Turnout — the share of registered voters who actually cast a ballot — reached its highest level of any Delhi election on record.
67.9% of registered voters cast a ballot that day, more than at any other election in the city's history.
The INC also matched its best seat tally in the city to that point, with 44 seats.
Notable numbers
A few numbers from that election stand out.
BJS drew 38.5% of the vote share — the slice of all ballots cast that went to one party or candidate — but converted that into just 5 seats.
The closest race was in Najafgarh, Delhi, decided by a margin — how far ahead the winner finished, in votes, over whoever came second — of just 52.
Timarpur, Delhi recorded turnout of 94.1%, the highest of any seat that year.
Ramakrishnapuram, Delhi was the largest constituency by registered voters, with 90,923 on its rolls.
The backdrop
This election was held for Delhi's Metropolitan Council, a body with advisory powers rather than the authority to govern directly.
The Delhi Administration Act, 1966 created the Delhi Metropolitan Council, a 61-member body (56 elected, 5 nominated) with advisory rather than legislative powers, the Lieutenant Governor and an administrator retaining final authority. The Council held elections in 1967, 1972, 1977 and 1983, and functioned until 1990.