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Gujarat civic polls 2021 Latest updates: The voter turnout in the civic body polls in Gujarat was 31.5 percent till 4 pm, The Times of India reported. “Among the municipal corporations, Jamnagar recorded the highest voting at 38.7%, followed by Surat (33.6%), Vadodara (33.4%), Bhavnagar (32.7%), Rajkot (30.6%) and Ahmedabad (29.4%),” the report said. According to News18 Gujarati, a voter turnout of 23 percent was recorded till 2 pm. The highest turnout of 25 percent was recorded in Jamnagar till 2 pm while the lowest, 16.2 percent, was in Ahmedabad Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his family voted at the Naranpura Sub Zonal Office in Ahmedabad. Later, talking to reporters, Shah expressed confidence that the BJP will win the civic polls in Gujarat.“I am sure that voters will turn out in large numbers and development will win,” he said. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who tested positive for coronavirus during the campaign some days back, is likely to vote in his hometown Rajkot. Polling is underway in six cities, as per reports. A total of 2,276 candidates are in the fray comprising 577 from the BJP, 566 from the Congress, 470 from AAP, 91 from NCP, 353 from other parties and 228 Independents. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will cast his vote in Naranpura ward of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation while Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, currently under treatment for COVID-19 at Ahmedabad’s UN Mehta Heart Hospital, is likely to cast his vote in a polling booth in Anil Gyan Mandir School in his hometown Rajkot, the state BJP had said on Saturday. Voting for 575 seats in six municipal corporations of Gujarat will take place today and 1.14 crore voters — 60.60 lakh men and 54.06 lakh women — are eligible to exercise their franchise. Voting in the civic polls in six major cities of Gujarat will be held between 7 am and 5 pm on Sunday amid tight security and adherence to COVID-19 norms, officials said. The municipal corporation elections in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar are being seen as a test for Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani as it may set the tone for the Assembly polls slated for next year. Votes will be cast for a total of 575 seats with each ward having four corporators, and 2,276 candidates, comprising 577 from the BJP, 566 from the Congress, 470 from AAP, 91 from NCP, 353 from other parties and 228 Independents, are in the fray, officials informed. “The total number of voters in the six cities stands at 1.14 crore, comprising 60.60 lakh men and 54.06 lakh women. Of the 11,121 polling booths, 2,255 are sensitive and 1,188 have been designated as very sensitive ,” a poll official said. Votes will be counted on 23 February, following which, on 28 February, polls to 31 district and 231 taluka panchayats, as well as 81 municipalities will be held, he added. During the campaign, the BJP played the “development” card, while the Congress, which has been out of power in these local bodies for a long time now, cited “lack of amenities” and the recent fuel price hike to turn the tide. The Aam Aadmi Party has claimed it would be an effective alternative to the BJP and Congress, while Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM will make its local bodies poll debut having fielded 21 candidates in six wards in Ahmedabad. Rupani, who tested positive for coronavirus during the campaign, maybe discharged from hospital later in the night and is likely to vote in his hometown Rajkot on Sunday.
Gujarat civic polls 2021 updates: CM Vijay Rupani casts vote in Rajkot hours after testing negative for COVID-19
Gujarat civic polls 2021 LIVE updates: Jamnagar recorded the highest voting at 38.7%; Surat recorded 33.6%, Vadodara (33.4%), Bhavnagar (32.7%), Rajkot (30.6%) and Ahmedabad (29.4%)
 "Gujarat civic polls 2021 updates: CM Vijay Rupani casts vote in Rajkot hours after testing negative for COVID-19")
Vadodara records 33.42% turnout till 4 pm
Vadodara recorded a voter turnout of 33.42 percent till 4 pm in the local body polls on Sunday, The Indian Express reported.
The report said that the highest turnout was in Ward 1, with 39.69 percent, and the lowest was in ward 17 with 28.98 percent.
Vijay Rupani casts vote in Rajkot
Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani cast his vote in the local body polls hours after testing negative for COVID-19 and being discharged from the hospital. The Times of India reported that he cast his vote in Rajkot.
Ahmedabad records 30.5% turnout till 3 pm
Ahmedabad recorded an overall voter turnout of 30.5 percent till 3 pm. “The highest voting was reported from Odhav at 37.7 percent, followed by Viratnagar (36.7 percent), Gomtipur (36 percent), and the lowest voting was in Navrangpura at 20 percent, and Bodakdev with 22.7 percent,” The Times of India reported.
Vijay Rupani tests negative for COVID-19
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani tested negative for coronavirus on Sunday, the CM’s office said. Earlier, Rupani, 64, tested positive for the viral infection on 15 February, a day after he fainted on a stage during campaigning for civic polls in Vadodara.
Since then, he was undergoing treatment at the UN MehtaHeart Hospital in Ahmedabad. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office on Sunday, he “tested negative for COVID-19 in the RT-PCR test done today”.
31.5% turnout recorded till 4 pm
The voter turnout in the civic body polls in Gujarat was 31.5 percent till 4 pm, The Times of India reported.
“Among the municipal corporations, Jamnagar recorded the highest voting at 38.7%, followed by Surat (33.6%), Vadodara (33.4%), Bhavnagar (32.7%), Rajkot (30.6%) and Ahmedabad (29.4%),” the report said.
Scuffle breaks out at polling booth in Ahmedabad
A scuffle over an EVM reportedly broke out at a polling booth of the Asarva Vidyalaya in Ahmedabad, News18 Gujarat reported. “Voting had to be stopped for 10 minutes. A police convoy reached the spot and settled the matter,” the report added.
Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil casts vote
આજે લોકશાહીનાં ગૌરવનો દિવસ છે. મેં મતદાન કર્યું.
— C R Paatil (@CRPaatil) February 21, 2021
આપ સૌ નાગરિકોને પણ અપીલ કરું છું કે -આપનાં મતાધિકારનો ઉપયોગ કરી, મોટી સંખ્યામાં મતદાન થાય એનો સફળ પ્રયાસ કરીએ.
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/PcaHsjbKKm
Royal family members arrived in vintage car to cast vote
Gujarat local body polls: Royal family members Mandhatasinh Jadeja and Kadambari Devi Jadeja arrived in a vintage car to cast their vote in Rajkot, earlier today pic.twitter.com/ovIAXZ1wfp
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2021
Voter turnout of 23% till 2 pm
According to _News18 Gujarat_i, a voter turnout of 23 percent was recorded till 2 pm. The highest turnout of 25 percent was recorded in Jamnagar till 2 pm while the lowest, 16.2 percent, was in Ahmedabad
21 % voter turnout till 1 pm, says report
An overall voter turnout of 21 percent was recorded in the Gujarat municipal election till 1 pm, reports News18 Gujarati. The highest polling percentage was recorded in Rajkot and the lowest in Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad recorded 13.2 percent, Bhavnagar 16.3 percent, Jamnagar 18.5 percent, Rajkot 18.9 percent, Surat 15.1 percent and Vadodara 16.3 percent.
Vadodara sees voter turnout of 13.16 percent till 12 pm
According to reports, a voter turnout of 13.16 percent was recorded in Vadodara till 12 pm. According to the Indian Express, the highest voter turn out was recorded in Ward 18 with 16.22 percent and the lowest of 10.56 percent was in Ward 6.
Rajkot records highest turnout till 12 pm
The voter turnout figures till 12 pm have been released. Following are the figures –
Ahmedabad-7.8%
Bhavnagar-15.2%
Jamnagar-17.1%
Rajkot-18.2%
Surat-11.2%
Vadodara-12.3%
12% voter turnout till 11 am, says report
An overall voter turnout of 12 percent was recorded by 11 am, reports News18 Gujarati. The turnout was 5.4 per cent in Ahmedabad, 7 percent in Vadodara, 6.2 percent in Surat, 17 percent in Rajkot, 12 percent in Jamnagar and 5.2 percent in Bhavnagar.
Development will win, says Amit Shah
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the local body elections in the state have begun and expressed confidence that the BJP will win, reported News18 Gujarati. " When Narendra Modi was the chief minister, a journey for the development of Gujarat – urban developmet, rural development and development for every corner of Gujarat — began. Be it forest areas, hilly areas, coastline, be it cities or villages, in all places the process of all inclusive development began. And this journey became an example for all of India and many states in the country are moving ahead in this direction with the inspiration of complete development. I am confident that voters will vote in big numbers and development will win." Shah expressed confidence that the voters will turn out in lage numbers and Gujarat will once again be established as BJP’s stronghold.
अहमदाबाद में अमित शाह (@AmitShah) ने किया मतदान, कहा, "सरकार सबके विकास के लिए काम कर रही है. गुजरात में विकास यात्रा जारी है."#GujaratMunicipalElection2021 #GujaratLocalBodyElection #BJP #Ahmedabad #ATVideo pic.twitter.com/Aqlc6wlV88
— AajTak (@aajtak) February 21, 2021
Bhavnagar West MLA casts vote
Bhavnagar West MLA and former Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani voted in the Gujarat municipal corporation elections.
અમે મતદાન કર્યું
— Jitu Vaghani (@jitu_vaghani) February 21, 2021
આપે કર્યું મતદાન???
ભાવનગર મહાનગરપાલિકાની ચૂંટણી અંતર્ગત પરિવાર સાથે વડવા-અ વોર્ડમાં મત આપી મારી પવિત્ર ફરજ નિભાવી. સૌ નાગરિકો ખૂબ મોટાપાયે મતદાન કરી લોકતંત્ર પ્રત્યેની નૈતિક જવાબદારી નિભાવી સમાજને પ્રગતિના પંથ તરફ લઇ જવા આહ્વાન કરૂં છું.#GujaratLocalBodyPolls pic.twitter.com/u8Se09VxKz
Amit Shah casts vote in Ahmedabad
Union Home Minister Amit Shah cast his vote at the Naranpura Sub Zonal Office in Ahmedabad, reports ANI.
Gujarat local body polls: Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with his family members casts his vote at Naranpura Sub Zonal Office in Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/YlgnCji7Lf
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2021
Gujarat Assembly Speaker casts vote
Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi cast his vote in Vadodara, reports ABP Asmita. Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja also voted with his family. it said.
Voter turnout of 7% till 10 am, says report
According to News18 Gujarati, an overall voter turnout of seven percent was recorded till 10 am.
Voting underway in Vadodara
Over 30 saints of the BAPS Atladara Swaminarayan temple in Vadodara exercised their franchise, according to ABP Asmita.
Gujarat: Voting for local body polls underway in Vadodara's Akota pic.twitter.com/ISdDhkAoyA
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2021
Main contest between BJP, Congress
The main contest in the Gujarat civic polls is between the BJP, which has ruled the six corporations for last several terms, and the main Opposition Congress. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed it would be an effective alternative to the BJP and Congress, while Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is making its debut in the local bodies polls, having fielded 21 candidates in six wards of Ahmedabad.
Kirit Solanki, BJP MLA Rakesh Shah cast vote
Elections to six municipal corporations in Gujarat are being held amid tight security and adherence to COVID-19 norms. People started queuing up outside polling booths soon after the voting began at 7 am across various wards in the six municipal corporations in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot,
Jamnagar and Bhavnagar. In the morning, elderly voters were also seen at various booths, where precautions have been taken to follow COVID-19 prevention norms, including use of masks and sanitisers and maintaining social distance. Local MPs, MLAs and leaders of different political parties also arrived at various polling booths in the morning to vote. BJP MP Kirit Solanki voted at a booth in Ranip area of Ahmedabad while party MLA Rakesh Shah cast his vote at a booth in Ellisbridge area of the city.
PTI
Polling underway: Visuals from Rajkot and Surat
Voting underway in Rajkot (pics 1& 2) and Surat (pics 3 & 4) for Gujarat local body polls pic.twitter.com/GU7h0p0gNm
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2021
Voting underway in Ahmedabad
Voting for Gujarat local body elections underway; visuals from Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/NYxD7yTeRM
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2021
Three percent voter turnout in first hour of polling, says report
An overall voter turnout of three percent was recorded by 8 am in the Gujarat municipal elections, reports News18 Gujarati. Ahmedabad recorded a turnout of three percent, Bhavnagar 1.9 percent, Jamnagar 2.6 percent, Rajkot 3.5 percent, Surat 2.1 percent and Vadodara 1.4 percent, it said.
Counting of votes on 23 Feb
Votes will be counted on 23 February, following which, on 28 February, polls to 31 district and 231 taluka panchayats, as well as 81 municipalities will be held, a poll official had told news agency PTI.
Political leaders cast votes
Pradesh Mahila Congress president Gayatri Vaghela, candidate from ward number 3, cast her vote in Rajkot while Vadodara BJP president Dr Vijay Shah cast his vote at the Kelvani school polling station, reported ABP Gujarati. According to News18 Gujarati, BJP MP Kirit Solanki cast his vote in Ahmedabad.
Polling underway
Polling is underway in six cities in Gujarat, as per reports. In Surat, former Mayor and city BJP president Nirjan Zanzmera cast his vote at 7 am, reported News18 Gujarati. Enthusiasm for voting could be seen in Rajkot, it reported.
1.14 crore voters to cast votes
“The total number of voters in the six cities stands at 1.14 crore, comprising 60.60 lakh men and 54.06 lakh women. Of the 11,121 polling booths, 2,255 are sensitive and 1,188 have been designated as very sensitive,” a poll official had told news agency PTI.
Amit Shah to cast vote in Ahmedabad, Rupani in Rajkot
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in Gujarat on Sunday to cast his vote in the municipal corporation election in Ahmedabad, the state BJP had said on Saturday. Shah will cast his vote in Naranpura ward of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation while Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, currently under treatment for COVID-19 at Ahmedabad’s UN Mehta Heart Hospital, will cast his vote in a polling booth in Anil Gyan Mandir School in his hometown Rajkot.
Rupani had collapsed on stage while campaigning for the civic polls last Sunday and was detected with COVID-19 the next day.
PTI
Voting in six major cities to continue till 5 pm
Voting in the civic polls in six major cities of Gujarat — Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar — will take place between 7 am and 5 pm today. Elections are being held to 575 seats with each ward having four corporators, and 2,276 candidates, comprising 577 from the BJP, 566 from the Congress, 470 from AAP, 91 from NCP, 353 from other parties and 228 Independents, are in the fray, officials informed.
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