Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are set to cast their votes in Ahmedabad on Sunday for the upcoming local self-government elections in Gujarat. PM Modi will vote at Nishan School in the Ranip area, while Amit Shah is expected to vote at a polling station in the city.
This election marks one of the largest rounds of local body elections in Gujarat in recent years, encompassing municipal corporations, municipalities, and panchayati raj institutions. Former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel are also among the prominent figures expected to vote in the elections.
Polling will be conducted across the state from 7 A.M. to 6 P.M. using Electronic Voting Machines, with the counting of votes scheduled for April 28. The elections will cover a significant number of seats, including 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats.
Over 4.19 crore voters are anticipated to participate in the elections at nearly 50,000 polling stations. The electoral landscape is set to be competitive, with the BJP, Congress, AAP, and Independents fielding candidates statewide. More than 20,000 candidates are in the running after withdrawals, with some already elected unopposed.
This election cycle is particularly noteworthy as it is the first to be held after the implementation of 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), in addition to existing quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women. These reservations are expected to bring about a significant change in the composition of local governance bodies.
