Bhavnagar civic polls postponed

GANDHINAGAR, SEPT 16: Elections to the municipal corporation of the quake-ravaged Bhavnagar city have been postponed to September 26, even as campaigning for elections to the six municipal corporations and three municipalities drew to a close yesterday. The polling will take place tomorrow.

The state Election Commission decided late in the evening yesterday to put off the elections in Bhavnagar, following a request by the state government in view of the situation in Bhavnagar where the entire district administration was engaged in rescue and relief operations. Panic has gripped the city and there is a massive exodus of people following a series of tremors since September 12.

Polling for the remaining seats of the five Municipal Corporations of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Jamnagar will be held tomorrow as scheduled.

There are over 57.93 lakh voters, including 2.93 lakh in Bhavnagar, for the corporations, while there are 1.30 lakh voters for the municipalities.