Polling for various local bodies across Gujarat concluded on Sunday, with voter turnout in municipal corporations remaining below 50 per cent amid prevailing heatwave conditions, officials said.
According to the State Election Commission (SEC), municipal corporations recorded a turnout of 48.55 per cent, while participation was higher in rural bodies. District panchayats registered 60.22 per cent turnout and taluka panchayats recorded 61.08 per cent. Municipalities saw a turnout of 58.12 per cent.
The elections were held across 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, along with 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats. The large-scale exercise is being seen as a key political test ahead of the state assembly polls due next year.
Among municipal corporations, the newly formed Gandhidham body in Kutch recorded the lowest turnout at 39.85 per cent, while Vapi in Valsad district reported the highest participation at 65.68 per cent.
The SEC said polling remained largely peaceful, with no major untoward incidents reported.
Prominent leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, cast their votes in Ahmedabad, while Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi voted in Surat.
Authorities deployed a three-tier security arrangement supported by CCTV surveillance and special squads in sensitive areas, police said.
The polls were conducted under revised norms for Other Backward Class (OBC) reservations, requiring delimitation and restructuring of wards in several districts.
If required, repolling will be held on April 27, with counting scheduled for April 28. The entire election process is expected to conclude by April 30.
The contest saw participation from major political parties, including the BJP, Congress and AAP, along with candidates from the Nationalist Congress Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), resulting in multi-cornered fights in several regions.
Elections were also held for the first time in nine newly created municipal corporations, including Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.
(With inputs from PTI)