AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s extensive local body elections have been set in motion, with polling scheduled for April 26 and counting on April 28, covering over 10,000 seats and involving more than 4.18 crore voters, marking one of the state’s largest grassroots democratic exercises amid new political equations and structural changes.
With the announcement by the State Election Commission, the Model Code of Conduct came into immediate effect, halting administrative decisions and triggering heightened political activity across the state.
Voting will take place in a single-day exercise on Sunday, April 26, with polling booths open from 7 am to 6 pm. In case of disruptions, re-polling will be conducted on April 27, followed by counting on April 28 across all tiers.
The elections will cover 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats, bringing over 4.18 crore voters into the electoral process.
A total of 10,039 seats are up for election, including 1,044 in municipal corporations, 2,632 in municipalities, 5,271 in taluka panchayats, and 1,092 in district panchayats, making it a multi-layered contest with significant political implications.
For the first time, newly upgraded municipal corporations, Anand-Karamsad, Gandhidham, Mehsana, Morbi, Nadiad, Navsari, Porbandar, Surendranagar, and Vapi, will vote at the corporation level.
This transition from municipality to ‘Mahanagarpalika’ represents an administrative as well as political shift, and the outcomes are expected to reflect public sentiment on governance and urban expansion.
A key factor in this election is the rotation of OBC-reserved seats following the Zaveri Commission report. With seven district panchayat president posts now reserved for OBC candidates, caste equations have been altered, prompting political parties to recalibrate alliances and candidate selection.
The polls are also being held after delays caused by delimitation and reservation-related issues, during which several district and taluka panchayats continued under administrative control instead of elected bodies.
As Gujarat heads into polling on April 26, the elections are set to test governance, caste dynamics, administrative restructuring, and voter sentiment. The results on April 28 are expected to significantly influence the state’s grassroots political landscape.