Voting underway for local body elections in Gujarat, BJP wins 213 seats uncontested

The counting of votes will be held on February 18.

Voting is underway for elections to Gujarat's Junagadh Municipal Corporation, 66 other municipalities and three taluka panchayats, including Gandhinagar, amid tight security. Simultaneous bypolls were also being held for Botad and Wankaner municipalities and 124 seats of other local and urban bodies in the state lying vacant for various reasons.

The voting began at 7 am on Sunday and will continue until 6 pm. The counting of votes will be held on February 18.

This is the first local body election since the Gujarat government announced 27 per cent OBC reservation in municipalities and panchayats in 2023.

A total of 5,084 candidates are in the fray and more than 38 lakh persons are eligible to cast vote in these local body polls.

However, voting will not be held in 213 seats in different local bodies, as they have been declared 'uncontested' as only one candidate, that of the ruling BJP, remained in these seats after all others withdrew their nominations.

These include eight out of the 60 seats across 15 wards of the Junagadh Municipal Corporation, where only the BJP candidates remain in the fray after rival Congress and other candidates withdrew from the poll race, PTI reported.

The BJP has said it is set to win the four municipalities of Bhachau, Jafrabad, Bantva and Halol as the number of seats declared 'uncontested' in its favour are higher than the majority required in each of these civics bodies.

The Congress claimed its candidates were threatened to withdraw their nominations, a charge refuted by the BJP, PTI reported.

To ensure peaceful and fair elections, the Election Commission and local authorities have implemented strict security measures. Police personnel have been deployed at polling stations, and enhanced monitoring systems have been put in place to oversee the voting process.