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The Election Commission of India (ECI) appealed to the voters in Gujarat to come out in ‘large numbers’ during phase II of the state’s local assembly elections to ‘compensate’ for low voting in the first phase.
ECI made this announcement after it observed that, after the conclusion of the Gujarat assembly elections’ phase I, the state witnessed a relatively low average voter turnout of 63.31 per cent in 89 seats. This was lower than the 66.75 per cent recorded in phase I of the 2017 state elections with the same constituencies.
Sheyphali Sharan, DG Election Commission of India, in a Twitter post, said, “Urban apathy continues unabated from Shimla to Surat. ECI appeals to voters of Gujarat to come out in large numbers during the second phase to compensate for low voting in 1st phase”
Polling for the first phase in 19 districts of Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat was held on December 1, 2022. The fate of 788 candidates was sealed in Electronic Voting Machines.
Fourteen constituencies recorded more than 70 per cent voting. Dediapada in Narmada district recorded the highest 82.71 per cent voting, followed by Kaprada in Valsad district which had a turnout of 79.57 per cent. Gandhidham’s seat in the Kutch district recorded the lowest turnout of 47.86 per cent.
District-wise, the tribal-dominated Narmada district recorded the highest average turnout of 78.24 per cent, followed by Tapi with 76.91 per cent. Navsari district recorded an average 71.06 per cent voting, the EC said.
Botad district recorded the lowest average voter turnout of 57.58 per cent. Amreli followed closely with 57.59 per cent turnout. Surat district recorded 62.27 per cent voting and Rajkot 60.45 per cent.
In 2017, the final voter turnout (for both phases of elections) was 68.41 per cent.
The second phase of 2022 elections for the remaining 93 seats with 833 candidates in the fray will be held on December 5, and votes will be counted on December 8.
A total of 26,269 ballot units, 25,430 control units and 25,430 VVPATs were used.
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