Junagadh civic body polls: 50 pc voter turnout recorded
Junagadh: Around 50 per cent voter turnout was registered during the election to the Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) in Gujarat on Sunday, an official said.
Polling was held for 56 seats of the 60 seats in 14 wards of Junagadh town.
BJP candidates had already won uncontested from three seats in ward number 3 after Congress candidates declared support to the contestants from the saffron party after filing of nomination forms. Besides, the form of a BJP candidate on another seat in the same ward had been rejected.
"Around 49.68 per cent voting was registered. Election went on smoothly across 56 out of the total 60 seats," Junagadh collector Sourabh Pardhi said.
Voting was partially affected due to rains in the early hours.
Over 2.20 lakh voters were eligible to cast their votes. The highest voter turnout of 66.36 per cent was registered in ward number 8, while the lowest turnout of 36.20 per cent was recorded in ward number 11, the official said.
The BJP and the Congress were in direct contest in the civic polls. The Congress faced setbacks ahead of the polls after its city president Vinu Amipara resigned and joined the BJP.
The BJP had wrested control of the JMC from Congress in previous election by winning 44 of 60 seats.
Meanwhile, by-elections were also held for the 59 seats of various taluka and district panchayats and one seat of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation.
Results of all these elections will also be announced on July 23.
