Municipal company elections in Gujarat: Jamnagar registers highest turnout, Ahmedabad lowest

Voting for normal elections to 6 municipal firms within the state – Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar – noticed a tardy tempo and low turnout on Sunday.
As per the official web site of the Gujarat State Election Commission (SEC), the six municipal firms reported a median 43% voting. State Election Commissioner Sanjay Prasad mentioned that polling has completed peacefully with none main untoward incident.
Ahmedabad noticed the bottom voters’ turnout at 39.54% whereas Jamnagar witnessed the best turnout of 52.49%. Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Vadodara and Surat, Jamnagar registers highest turnout, Ahmedabad lowest witnessed 47.27%, 46.67%, 45.48% and 45.09% voting respectively.
Total 1.14 registered voters have been anticipated to solid their votes within the elections for 575 seats in 144 wards. BJP candidate was elected uncontested in a single seat in Naranpura ward of Ahmedabad.
The common voting proportion determine is 2% much less, in comparison with 2015 figures when the six cities witnessed common 45.67% voting. Jamnagar had topped the voting proportion in 2015 as nicely with 56.76%. Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar noticed 46.61%, 39.63%, 48.71%, 49.72% and 47.41 proportion voting respectively.
In a video assertion, Prasad said that the voting accomplished peacefully and thanked all voters, political events and administrative officers and police personnel for his or her cooperation. Prasad additionally appealed to the folks to vote within the elections to 31 district panchayats, 231 taluka panchayats and 81 municipalities on February 28.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat Congress lodged 9 complaints with the SEC concerning alleged discrepancies in voters’ record, alleged makes an attempt to intimidate voters, and alleged defective EVM machines in Ahmedabad civic polls.
The elections due in December, have been delayed on account of the Covid pandemic.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani who was admitted at UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre after he was identified with Covid 19 on Monday, examined unfavourable for the viral an infection within the afternoon and went to Rajkot to solid his vote in an air ambulance. He solid his vote whereas being accompaniedby spouse, Anjali.
Union residence minister Amit Shah and Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil solid their votes in Ahmedabad and Surat respectively.
After casting his vote in Naranpura space together with son Jay and their households, Shah addressed media individuals and mentioned, “From today, elections to local bodies have begun. The development journey of Gujarat began when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. All inclusive development had begun whether it was jungle, mountainous terrain, coastline area, urban or rural area. And that journey has today become exemplary for the entire country… I am confident that Gujarat, from where the victory journey had begun, will reinforce itself as a strong bastion of BJP once again after these elections.”
State BJP president C R Paatil who vote in Khatodara space instructed mediapersons , “Among six municipal corporations that are going to polls today, the BJP has been in power in four for 25 years, while the other two for 35 years… I am sure that this time also the voters of Gujarat will give their vote for BJP and contribute to the development of Gujarat… BJP has gained the trust of the people…”
In the second half of the day because the turnout was low, the BJP issued two movies of social gathering MLA and Gujarati movie begin Hitu Kanodia and famous tv star Mayur Vakani exhorting folks to vote.Kanodia mentioned that if folks solid their votes then they will rightfully maintain elected candidates accountable for any work or lack of it. Vakani, too, mentioned that it’s the proper and obligation of a citizen to vote to maintain the democracy vibrant and alive.
Gujarat BJP normal secretary Bhargav Bhatt instructed this newspaper that the low voter prove in your complete state was a mirrored image of the defeat conceded by the Congress social gathering. “We have won 243 seats uncontested in the local body polls, a week before the first round of voting… If you study the pattern of the corporation polls, you will notice that the wards where the Congress candidates have actually put up a fight are the ones where the turn out is also higher. Where the Congress has not fought, the advantage will remain with the BJP…”
Bhatt added that voting day being a Sunday, contributed to the “inertia” that voters are inclined to exhibit in native physique polls. “Much against the opposition claim that it is the anti-incumbency factor, the low voter turnout is a sign that the voters are satisfied with the way things are going.”
According to Balubhai Patel, chairman of Gujarat Congress Election Coordination Committee, two complaints have been lodged to the SEC on Sunday concerning alleged makes an attempt to intimidate voters in Vatva.
“It is to bring to your notice that at polling booths 62 to 71 of Ward No. 47 Vatva, two defiant persons Nasikmulla and Munnabhai were intimidating voters… Similarly, at polling booths 34 and 35 of Vatva ward, a person Nasirkhan and his associates were intimidating voters,” mentioned Patel in his complaints.

Apart from the 2 complaints, the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) additionally lodged a grievance concerning a lady voter listed at a polling sales space at Pankaj School in Navrangpura Ward 18 whose vote was allegedly solid earlier than she reached the sales space.
The GPCC additionally lodged complaints t concerning “EVM malfunctioning” at polling cubicles at Asarwa Ward Booth quantity 46, Maktampura ward quantity 34 and sales space quantity 3 in Lambha ward. The Congress additionally lodged a grievance concerning alleged denial of entry to Congress agent to Sheetal Gaurav School polling sales space in Vatva and detainment of Congress candidate Raju Thakor in Vejalpur.

The Congress additionally submitted a grievance in opposition to CM Vijay Rupani utilizing a helicopter to succeed in Rajkot to solid his vote claiming violation of ballot tips.