Gujarat Local Polls Voting Ends Peacefully

Voting concluded peacefully across Gujarat on Sunday in local body elections covering 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, with more than 9,000 seats contested by 25,537 candidates. Counting of votes for the 9,262 seats is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, with results expected by early afternoon.

Provisional turnout data from the State Election Commission showed lower participation in urban areas at an average of 49 percent in municipal corporations, compared to 60 percent in municipalities, 61 percent in district panchayats and 62 percent in taluka panchayats. Tribal-dominated districts recorded the highest figures, including Narmada at over 80 percent for both district and taluka panchayats, followed by Dang and Tapi. Among municipal corporations, Vapi posted the highest turnout at 65.68 percent, while Porbandar and Gandhidham were the lowest at around 42 percent. Major cities saw Ahmedabad at 45.7 percent, Surat at 53 percent, Rajkot at 46.5 percent and Vadodara at 47 percent.

The Bharatiya Janata Party secured 715 seats unopposed, surpassing its previous record, while Congress won 12 and...