Despite scorching heat and temperature almost touching 44 degrees Celsius, Gujarat recorded more than 62 per cent polling for the 26 lok Sabha constituencies at the close of the seventh phase of 2014 general elections. With this, fate of 334 candidates that include 12 women was sealed in EVMs.
In the last five lok Sabha polls, the average voter turnout was less than 50 per cent. This is more than 15 per cent high than the 2009 lok Sabha polls. The voter turnout remain higher this time due to a voter awareness drive carried out by the Election Commission and with Narendra Modi as BJP’s prime ministerial nominee encouraged people to come out in the blazing sun in large numbers. Though, the higher voter turnout in Gujarat could not break all time high record of 64 per cent polling in 1967 lok Sabha elections.
According to Gujarat’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anita Karval highest voting registered in tribal dominated Narmada district – 78 per cent while lowest in the State was in Porbandar – 46 per cent.
The polling was brisk in the morning but slackened in the afternoon due to soaring mercury. However, it again picked up in the evening. While former deputy prime minister lK Advani, who is contesting from Gandhinagar cast his vote in Shahpur Assembly in Ahmedabad, Modi’s close aide and BJP in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Amit Shah exercise his franchise in Ahmedabad.
Former Gujarat Chief Ministers Madhavsinh Solanki and Keshubhai Patel cast their votes at their home towns Borsad and Rajkot respectively. Modi’s mother Hiraba use her franchise earlier in the day, while his wife Jashodaben also did polling in Mahesana constituency. Test Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara also exercised his franchise from Rajkot.
After casting his vote, Advani praised the Election Commission for successfully conducting the world’s largest democratic exercise. “This is the most remarkable election held in the history of the country,” he said.
Overall election was held peacefully in Gujarat and there has been no untoward incident in the entire state, said special CEO Ashwini Kumar, while talking to The Pioneer. In some of the areas election officers had to change EVMs due to technical errors. However, there has been no hindrance as because of it in election process. In Surat a 94-year-old woman passed away after casting her vote.