Counting of votes for Gujarat's extensive local body elections commenced at 9 am on Tuesday, marking a crucial phase in one of the state's largest electoral exercises ahead of next year's Assembly polls. Voting, held on Sunday, covered 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, with nearly 9,200 seats at stake and over 4.18 crore eligible voters. The elections are being closely watched as a barometer of public sentiment, with the ruling BJP, the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and AIMIM emerging as the principal contenders across regions.
Voter Turnout Trends
The elections saw different levels of voter turnout across civic bodies. Municipal corporations recorded 55.1 per cent polling, while municipalities saw 65.53 per cent turnout. District panchayats and taluka panchayats registered 66.64 per cent and 67.26 per cent turnout respectively. Among major centres, Gandhidham in Kutch district reported the lowest turnout at 46.03 per cent, while Vapi in Valsad district recorded the highest at 72.29 per cent. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation logged a turnout of 51.81 per cent. Polling was also held for the first time in nine newly formed municipal corporations, including Navsari, Morbi and Porbandar. These elections were conducted under revised OBC reservation norms, which required fresh delimitation and restructuring of wards in several areas.
Security and Incidents
Heavy security has been deployed at counting centres. Joint CP Niraj Badgujar stated, "Today, security arrangements have been made at two locations within the city of Ahmedabad- Gujarat College and ND Engineering College. Police personnel have been deployed, and a three-tier security cordon has been established here. The Election Commission is also keeping a close watch on the situation." Traffic restrictions are in place near LDCE and Gujarat College. Meanwhile, a robbery incident was reported in Vadodara where two men robbed an elderly couple after asking if they had voted. The accused stole cash, jewellery and a bank locker key.
Key Candidates and Parties
The BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are the key contenders, along with AIMIM, NCP and Independents. Notable candidates include former IPS officer M L Ninama, ex-radio jockey Abha Desai and former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani. In 2021, the BJP had secured a landslide victory in local polls, winning 6,236 out of 8,470 seats across various bodies.
