Gujarat Local Body Elections Set for April 26: A Democratic Countdown

The State Election Commission of Gujarat has officially announced the schedule for local self-government elections, set to take place on April 26. These elections will involve nearly 10,000 seats across 15 municipal corporations, district panchayats, and municipalities throughout the state.

Significantly, the elections will include the implementation of a new Other Backward Class (OBC) reservation policy, which has resulted in comprehensive delimitation and boundary changes across various districts. State Election Commissioner S Murali Krishna noted that the cap of 1,200 voters per booth will be enforced at the 49,591 voting stations that will be established.

More than 2.61 lakh polling personnel will facilitate the election process under the supervision of Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers, employing electronic voting machines for both urban and rural areas. Voters are required to present their Electoral Photo Identity Card or any of the 14 alternative photo identity documents accepted by the commission.