Gujarat conducted a polling across 3,894 gram panchayats in Gujarat on Sunday, which is the first such exercise since the state government last year introduced a 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local body elections.
As per the State Election Commission (SEC), over 81 lakh eligible voters are to cast their votes to choose 3,656 sarpanchs and 16,224 panchayat members. Voting was conducted with the help of ballot papers at 10,479 polling stations in the state's rural sector.
In spite of showers in many parts of the state, voters cast their ballots in big numbers.
One saw a 95-year-old woman coming along with her grandson to cast their ballot at a polling booth in Banaskantha district. Police officials were observed helping the old and differently-abled people vote across constituencies.
Notable first-time voters were Kheda MLA Arjunsinh Chauhan and ex-Tharad legislator Gujlabsinh Rajput. "Panchayats are the bedrock of democracy, and I urge all citizens to see 100 per cent turnout," Chauhan remarked after casting his ballot.
The SEC verified that voting had been mostly peaceful, though there were sporadic incidents of violence. In Dhanitra village, Panchmahal district, a sarpanch candidate's son was reportedly attacked by rival party activists and rushed to hospital.
Of the 8,326 gram panchayats notified for voting on 25 May, general and mid-term elections are being conducted in 3,541 and by-elections in 353. The SEC further added that 1,023 gram panchayats were uncontested or did not receive any nominations.
Voting in six talukas under the assembly constituencies of Kadi and Visavadar was postponed as by-elections were being held there on Thursday.
The SEC has recognized 3,939 polling stations as sensitive and another 336 as very sensitive. Counting of votes will be held on 25 June.
Despite the fact that gram panchayat polls are not fought on party lines, many candidates are said to have political party links.
This is the first big electoral experiment in Gujarat after the state government raised OBC reservation in local bodies from 10 to 27 per cent, following recommendations of the Zaveri Commission.
The expansion of the OBC quota came after a Supreme Court direction that called for proportional representation of backward classes in local bodies, according to population figures.
The state government, in July 2022, established the KS Jhaveri Commission to evaluate social and educational backwardness of communities in both rural and urban Gujarat.
The current quotas for Scheduled Castes (14 per cent) and Scheduled Tribes (7 per cent) are not altered, with the overall reservation level below the 50 per cent limit.
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