Gujarat Assembly Elections Phase 1 Highlights: Polling ends on 89 seats, 59.2 per cent turnout till 5 pm

An average 59.24 per cent voter turn-out was recorded as of 5 pm on Thursday across 89 Assembly seats in the first phase of Gujarat elections, election officials said. While voting began at 8 in the morning and ended at 5 pm, the final turn-out would be higher as the process continued at the polling stations where voters had arrived before 5 pm and were standing in queues. The fate of 788 candidates will be decided in the first phase. – PTI

Gujarat records 56.88% voter turnout till 5 pm in the first phase of the Assembly elections, reports news agency ANI.

Voting ended for the first phase of Gujarat elections at 5 pm on Thursday.

AAP leaders hold roadshow to campaign for the second phase of elections in Ahmedabad. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha also present.

Gujarat records 48.48 per cent voter turnout till 3 pm in the first phase of the ongoing Assembly elections. Tapi district has recorded the highest voter turnout at 63.98 per cent. followed by Narmada at 63.95 per cent.

According to the Election Commission, 48.48% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in the first phase of Gujarat Elections 2022.

AAP candidate from Katargam Gopal Italia alleges that voting is being “deliberately” conducted in a slow manner in the constituency. He alleges that around 3.5 per cent voting has taken place in the entire state, but only 1.41 per cent voting has taken place in Katargam.

BJP alleges that supporters of Congress candidate from Vansda Anant Patel attacked BJP candidate Piyush Patel. DSP Navsari SK Rai said that a case has been registered at the Vansda police station.

BJP candidate from Vansda Piyush Patel was allegedly attacked by unknown people late on Wednesday night, reported news agency ANI.

He alleged that he was travelling from Pratapnagar to Vandervela village with his supporters when he was attacked. Further, Patel alleged that the miscreants had pelted stones and also attempted to vandalise his car. He sustained injuries on his head and was admitted to a hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets people in Kalol to campaign for the second phase of elections.

Congress spokesperson Alok Sharma said that the party has filed a second complaint about electronic channels which have been showing visual bytes of the BJP, so as to influence voters. He said that it is against the EC guidelines to air opinion or exit polls.

Sharma further said that no programmes should be aired which will even remotely sound like an opinion poll.

Congress submits a complaint to Election Commission saying that EVMs were not working in at least 50 polling booths, which were located mostly in the Saurashtra region.

“We have submitted a written complaint on the non-functioning of EVMs and a lot of time is being taken to replace them. We have submitted a list of places where the EVMs are not working. There are around 50 polling booths where this problem has arisen and many of them are in Saurashtra, which includes Jamnagar and Rajkot. These should be rectified quickly so that maximum polling can happen,” said Alok Sharma, national spokesperson for the Congress, as quoted by The Indian Express.

Union minister Parshottam Rupala also casts his vote for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections in Amreli. Gujarat BJP vice president Mahendrasinh Sarvaiya also casts his vote from the Chaturbhuj Vidyalaya polling booth in Palitana, Bhavnagar.

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi and state BJP chief CR Paatil have also cast their votes in Surat.

Gujarat state Assembly speaker Nimaben Acharya also cast her vote for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections at a polling station in Bhuj.

Union minister Darshana Jardosh casts her vote. After casting vote, Jardosh exuded confidence over BJP's win in the elections, and said that the saffron party will come with an absolute majority.

While addressing a poll rally in Gujarat's Panchmahal on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there is a competition among Congress leaders as to who will use the most abusive words against him. He was referring to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's recent 'Ravan' jibe at him.

Before Kharge, another Congress leader had said the party will show PM Modi his 'aukat' (place), the PM said, apparently referring to Madhusudan Mistry's remark.

Kharge on Monday night addressed a rally in Behrampura area of Ahmedabad city where he said the prime minister asks people to vote “looking at his face” in all elections. “Are you 100-headed like Ravan,” he had said.

(With inputs from PTI)

“People are voting very enthusiastically. In Rajkot district, 26 per cent polling has been recorded till 12 noon. No untoward incident has been reported so far. We are monitoring sensitive polling stations through webcasting,” Rajkot Collector Arun Mahesh told ANI.

Prafulbhai More, a man whose wedding is scheduled for today, casts his vote in Tapi, ANI reported. More said, “I urge everyone to vote, you shouldn't waste it. My wedding was scheduled for the morning but I rescheduled it for the evening, we've to go to Maharashtra for it.”

An average 19.13 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 AM on Thursday, as first phase of election is underway, according to news agency PTI. Tapi district recorded the highest turnout 26.47 per cent, which was followed by Dang – 24.99 per cent. Meanwhile, Devbhumi Dwarka district recorded the lowest 15.86 per cent turnout so far. In Surat district, 17.92 per cent polling was recorded, while in Amreli it was 19 per cent.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a roadshow in Mehsana district which will go on polls in the second phase of elections. The roadshow is being held as polling is underway in the state for the first phase of elections across 89 Assembly constituencies.

Rajkot royal family members Mandhatasinh Jadeja, Kadambaridevi Jadeja and Mridulakumari Jadeja arrive in a vintage car to cast votes at a polling station during the first phase of elections, in Rajkot. (Photo by PTI)

AAP candidate Alpesh Kathiriya, who is contesting from the Varachha Road seat, was earlier with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He started his political stint with the Congress before jumping into the BJP.

Alpesh Kathiriya is the convenor of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS).

AAP candidate Alpesh Kathiriya casts his vote in Surat. The prominent Patidar leader, who was part of the 2015 Patidar agitation, had joined the AAP in October in the presence of Arvind Kejriwal in Gariadhar city of Bhavnagar district.

Union Home minister Amit Shah holds a roadshow in Sanand in Ahmedabad to campaign for the second phase of elections.

A total of 18.95 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 am in the first phase of elections.

Union Health Minister and BJP leader Mansukh Mandaviya casts his vote in Hanol, Bhavnagar.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Italia casts his vote. Italia is contesting from the Katargam constituency.