Ahmedabad, Voter turnout was recorded between 30 to 40 per cent till 1.30 pm on Sunday in polls to various local bodies in Gujarat, with people braving the scorching summer heat to cast their votes, according to official data.
Polling in municipal corporations was lower compared to other local bodies in the state, as per the figures.
Elections were underway for 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, making it one of the largest electoral exercises in the state ahead of the assembly polls due later next year.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cast their votes in Ahmedabad, while Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi voted in Surat.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, as per the schedule announced by the Gujarat State Election Commission (SEC).
Till 1.30 pm, 30.02 per cent polling was recorded for elections to the municipal corporations, 37.76 per cent for municipalities, 39.47 per cent for district panchayats and 40.85 per cent for taluka panchayats, according to the SEC data.
Among municipalities, Navsari recorded the highest voter turnout of 50.78 per cent till 1.30 pm, followed by Valsad at 49.54 per cent.
Tribal-dominated districts, like Narmada, Tapi and Dang, were ahead in terms of turnout in taluka panchayat elections, the data on the SEC website showed.
The polls are being held under revised norms for Other Backward Class (OBC) reservations, which required extensive delimitation and restructuring of wards in several districts.
If required, re-polling will be held on April 27. Counting of votes will take place on April 28, and the entire election process is expected to be completed by April 30.
Elections are being held for the first time in as many as nine newly constituted municipal corporations.
Besides the BJP, Congress and AAP, candidates of the Nationalist Congress Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are also in the fray, leading to multi-cornered contests in several places.
There are over 4.18 crore eligible voters across nearly 9,200 seats for which the elections are being conducted.
Polling in municipal corporations was lower compared to other local bodies in the state, as per the figures.
Elections were underway for 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, making it one of the largest electoral exercises in the state ahead of the assembly polls due later next year.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cast their votes in Ahmedabad, while Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi voted in Surat.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, as per the schedule announced by the Gujarat State Election Commission (SEC).
Till 1.30 pm, 30.02 per cent polling was recorded for elections to the municipal corporations, 37.76 per cent for municipalities, 39.47 per cent for district panchayats and 40.85 per cent for taluka panchayats, according to the SEC data.
Among municipalities, Navsari recorded the highest voter turnout of 50.78 per cent till 1.30 pm, followed by Valsad at 49.54 per cent.
Tribal-dominated districts, like Narmada, Tapi and Dang, were ahead in terms of turnout in taluka panchayat elections, the data on the SEC website showed.
The polls are being held under revised norms for Other Backward Class (OBC) reservations, which required extensive delimitation and restructuring of wards in several districts.
If required, re-polling will be held on April 27. Counting of votes will take place on April 28, and the entire election process is expected to be completed by April 30.
Elections are being held for the first time in as many as nine newly constituted municipal corporations.
Besides the BJP, Congress and AAP, candidates of the Nationalist Congress Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are also in the fray, leading to multi-cornered contests in several places.
There are over 4.18 crore eligible voters across nearly 9,200 seats for which the elections are being conducted.
