59% voter turnout in Gandhinagar, 3% more than 2021 civic body polls

Voter participation in Gandhinagar's municipal elections soared to 59.25 percent, a 3.1 percentage point increase over the 56 percent turnout in the 2021 civic elections, according to the State Election Commission. The high turnout was achieved despite tight security measures, with over 1,100 police officers on duty at 295 polling stations.

Thara municipality topped the chart with an 81.18 percent turnout, while Okha municipality recorded 56.44 percent. Counting was set for October 13, with results to follow immediately afterward. Among registered voters, 154,045 cast their ballots, with women voters lagging behind by over 6 percent compared to their male counterparts.

Turnout varied by ward, with Ward 4 leading at 74.78 percent and Ward 5 lagging behind at 48 percent. Notable was the participation of older voters, with 91-year-old Shantaben Thakor casting her vote despite age-related issues, and first-time voters Yashvi Jaiswal and Darshil Patel expressing pride and satisfaction in exercising their democratic rights. The election featured 130 candidates from various parties contesting 44 seats across 11 wards.