Ahmedabad witnessed municipal elections on Sunday, with voters braving temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius to elect 190 corporators for the state's largest municipal corporation. The voter turnout stood at 45.7%, surpassing the 42.5% recorded in the 2021 civic body polls.
Polling Process and Incidents
No major law and order issues were reported, although brief clashes occurred between Congress and BJP workers at a polling station in Kubernagar ward. Allegations of booth capturing surfaced at three polling booths in Khadia. The administration set up 4,257 polling stations to cater to over 38 lakh voters.
Of the 17.4 lakh voters who cast their ballots, 49% were men and 41% were women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi voted by mail, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah, his family, and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel voted in person.
Voter Turnout Trends
Long queues were observed in eastern areas such as Lambha, Ramol, Gomtipur, Behrampura, and Dariapur, as well as in western localities like Navrangpura, Chandkheda, Bodakdev, and Thaltej. The turnout gradually increased throughout the day: 6% between 7 am and 9 am, 16.8% by 11 am, 29.2% by 1 pm, 38.1% by 3 pm, 42.3% by 5 pm, and finally 45.7% by 6 pm.
Eastern wards recorded higher participation than western wards. Muslim-majority wards like Behrampura (58%) and Danilimda (56%) saw high voting percentages.
Candidates and Context
The 2026 elections for 190 seats across 48 wards of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation featured 652 candidates from the BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, AIMIM, other parties, and independents. The vote count is scheduled for April 28.
Historical turnout figures show 44.1% in 2010, 46.5% in 2015, and 42.5% in 2021. A senior Ahmedabad collectorate official noted a reduction of 8.2 lakh voters in the 2026 list compared to 2021. Nearly 45 wards saw a decrease in voter numbers, while Chandkheda, Nikol, and Maktampura wards registered an increase.
