GANDHINAGAR: The polling parties in Gujarat have gathered at the EVM distribution centre in Gandhinagar ahead of the second phase of polling in the state on Monday. The Election Commission had announced the conduct of Gujarat Assembly elections in two phases on December 1 and December 5.
After the first phase of polling, the Election Commission urged voters to reach their designated polling booths early and cast their votes before 5 pm on Monday.”Voters should not carry their mobile phones to the polling booths,” she added.
The second and final phase of Assembly elections will go for polling for 93 Assembly seats, with 833 candidates across parties in the fray.The counting of the votes will take place on December 8 (Thursday), coinciding with the result date of the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls.
Gujarat’s Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi on Sunday raised concerns over the ‘low’ voter turnout in urban areas in the first phase of the Assembly polls on December 1.
“Every voter, especially in urban areas, should come forward and vote enthusiastically. The Chief Election Commissioner is also working tirelessly to make the urban youth shed their apathy and vote,” the chief electoral officer said, adding that the poll panel chief has also appealed to the urban voters to exercise their democratic right.
During the first phase of polling, Gujarat saw an overall turnout of 63.14 per cent.The voting began at 8 am in 89 constituencies spread across 19 districts of Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat regions.
The polling was deemed brisk to moderate across different Assembly segments.According to data shared by the Election Commission, Narmada recorded the highest voter turnout at 78.24 per cent while Botad recorded the lowest at 57.58 per cent. (ANI)