Gujarat polls: Turnout recorded at 34.48 pc till 1 pm

GANDHINAGAR: The high-intensity campaigning for the first phase of polling in Gujarat is now in the hands of the voters. The voter turnout was recorded to be 34.48 per cent till 1 pm.

According to the Election Commision of India (ECI), Tapi recorded the highest voter turnout of 46.35 per cent while Amreli recorded the lowest turnout of 32.01 per cent.

While Bharuch's voter turnout was recorded to be 35.98 per cent, Bhavnagar was at 32.74 per cent, Botad was at 30.26 per cent, Dangs was at 46.22 per cent, Devbhumi Dwarka recorded at 33.89 per cent, Gir Somnath at 35.99 per cent, Jamnagar at 30.34 per cent, Junagadh at 35.96 per cent, Kachchh was at 33.44 per cent and Morbi recorded at 38.61 per cent.

As per the data from the ECI, Narmada recorded a voter turnout of 46.13 per cent, Navsari was at 39.20 per cent, Porbandar was at 30.20 per cent, Rajkot was at 32.88 per cent, Surat was at 33.10 per cent, Surendranagar was at 34.18 per cent and Valsad was at 38.08 per cent.

The polling is taking place in 89 constituencies spread across 19 districts of Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat. A total of 2,39,76,670 voters who will cast their votes by 5 pm today will decide the fate of 788 candidates who are in the fray for the first phase.

Out of the total number of electorates, 1,24,33,362 are males, 1,1,5,42,811 females and 497 are from the third gender. Over 4 lakh PWD voters are eligible to cast their votes. Nearly 9.8 lakh senior citizen voters (80+) and nearly 10,000 voters who are 100 and above are eligible to vote.

According to the EC, there are 5,74,560 voters who are between 18 to 19 years of age while 4,945 voters are above 99 years of age. There are 163 NRI voters, of which 125 are men and 38 are women.

There are 14,382 voting centres, out of which 3,311 are in the urban areas and 11,071 in the rural areas.

Among prominent candidates, Gujarat Chief Minster Bhupendra Patel is contesting from Ghatlodia, AAP Chief Ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi from Khambhaliya, former Congress leader and BJP candidate Hardik Patel from Viramgam, former Congress leader and now BJP candidate Alpesh Thakor from Gandhinagar South.

AAP state president Gopal Italia is contesting from Katargam constituency, Gujarat Home Minister (State) Harsh Sanghavi from Majura, Rivaba Jadeja from Jamnagar North, former Gujarat minister Parshottam Solanki from Bhavnagar Rural, Kunwarji Bavaliya from Jasdan, Kantilal Amrutiya from Morbi and Jayesh Radadiya from Jetpur. The counting of votes will be done on December 8. Results of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections will also be declared on the same day.