68% voter turnout in Phase 1 of Gujarat poll
89 CONSTITUENCIES DECIDE EVMs replaced in some booths after glitches
AHMEDABAD: A 68% turnout was recordedin89 seats thatvotedon Saturday in the first phase of assembly polls in Gujarat, where the B JP and Congress are locked in a contest that analysts expect to be the closest in years.
TheBJP,whichhas governed the state for 22 years, won 63 of these 89 seats in the 2012 polls. The Congress won 23; and others three.Gujarat has always beena statewithahighvoterturnout.In the previous election, 70.7% voters cast their vote for the assembly’s 182 seats.
The highest turn out of 75% was recorded in Na vs ari and Mo rb ion Saturday. Botad and Porbandar districts in the Patidar-dominated Saurashtra region recorded the lowest turnout of 60%. Voter turnout in urban areas, where most of the firstround seats are located, was lower than that in rural areas, Election Commission (EC) officials said.
Analysts caution against drawing any inferences on the outcomebasedontheturnout.In the run-up to the elections, sev- eral analysts said some of the BJP’s traditional supporters could stay away from the polls because they were angry with the party over the agrarian crisis and implementation of the goods and services tax.
Voting was slow in the morning cold but picked up pace in the afternoon, despite reports of electronic voting machines (EVMs) malfunctioning in about 40 polling booths in several segments, including Surat and Rajkot, the state’s diamond and textile hubs.
The EC said snag-hit EVMs were replaced immediately and the glitches caused only a “minor” disruption in voting.
The election commission also dismissed allegations that EV Ms and paper-trail machines were tampered with to manipulate results.
› You (Congress) gave a lollipop to Muslims in all states that you will give reservation... they have made a similar promise to another community here... Will they snatch it from the OBCs, tribals or SCs?
NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister