Gujarat: Local body polls on February 16, counting on Feb 18; MCC in place

As per the schedule announced by the SEC, a notification for the elections will be published on January 27. Last dates for filing and withdrawal of nominations is February 1 and February 4, respectively. Assessment of nominations will be done on February 3.

Voting will be held on February 16 and, if required, re-polling will be done on February 17. The counting of votes will be done on February 18, as per the schedule.

The SEC said that a total of 696 wards of 170 local bodies will go to the polls. Voting will be held for a total of 2,178 seats.

There will be 4,390 polling booths, the SEC said, adding that the number may vary. The elections, to be held using EVMs, will require 8,351 ballot units and 5,696 central units.

In all, over 38.86 lakh people are expected to vote — 19.84 lakh males, 19.01 females and 145 from the third gender.

These elections come after the state government’s decision revising the OBC reservation in these local body elections from 10% to 27%.

Notably, the general elections to over 4,000 gram panchayats are due in the state, with administrators running those local bodies instead of the elected wing. When asked as to why elections are not being held in these gram panchayats, the SEC said that the process to fix 27% OBC reservation, on the basis of recommendations by Justice (retired) Kalpesh Jhaveri Commission, is on, adding that polls will be held once the process is complete. The SEC also mentioned that a rule is needed to be modified for the process and they got a formal communication on the modification from the state government around two months back.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Congress has welcomed the announcement of the elections while criticising the delay of two years in holding the same.
State Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil said, “Congress party welcomes the announcement…Term of most of the local bodies, elections of which were announced today, had expired in February 2023. For two long years, elections were not held and administrators were appointed… It is a disgraceful incident for democracy.” Gohil was also confident that the Congress will fight the elections and perform well.

BJP too, on the other hand, is confident, with a party release quoting state general secretary Rajni Patel highlighting works done by the Bhupendra Patel government, and party president and Union minister C R Paatil.