The local body elections in Gujarat will be held on April 26, the State Election Commission has announced. This triggers the immediate implementation of the Model Code of Conduct ahead of what is widely described as a "mini general election." The counting of votes will take place on April 28.
The elections will cover 15 municipal corporations, including Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Kutch, Valsad, and Vapi, among others. Besides, voting will also be held in 34 Zilla Panchayats, 260 Taluka Panchayats, and 84 Nagar Palikas, marking a complete renewal of Gujarat's urban and rural governance tiers.
Over 4.18 crore voters will be eligible to elect their representatives in a total of 9,992 seats across Gujarat, officials said.
According to the timeline released by the Gujarat State Election Commission, the formal electoral process will commence next Monday, April 6, with the opening of the nomination phase. Candidates across all local bodies will have a designated window to file their papers and undergo scrutiny.
State authorities have confirmed that the election will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with district collectors already finalising the logistics for polling stations to ensure a streamlined process for millions of voters.
Voting will be held on April 26, a Sunday, between 7 am and 6 pm. The Commission has coordinated with local police to secure the booths and manage the flow of voters, as the single-phase voting is expected to see a significant turnout.
The counting will be held on April 28 and the results are expected on the same day.
