447 candidates to contest for 167 seats of 8 taluka

Currently, the process of local body elections is being conducted by the District Electoral System under the guidance of District Election Officer and Collector Shalini Agarwal. As part of this, preparations have been completed by the administration for polling of District-Taluka Panchayats and Savli, Dabhoi, and Padra Municipalities scheduled on 28th February from 7 am to 6 pm.

104 candidates are contesting for 34 seats of Vadodara District Panchayat, while 447 candidates are registered for 167 seats of 8 Taluka Panchayats of Vadodara District. The 16-Por meeting of Vadodara (Rural) Taluka Panchayat has been declared uncontested. These 8 taluka panchayats include Vadodara Rural, Dabhoi, Waghodia, Savli, Shinor, Karjan, Padra, and Desar as stated by Collector Shalini Agarwal.

As many as 219 candidates are contesting for 83 seats in Dabhoi, Padar, and Savli municipalities, while 5 seats have been declared uncontested. In the uncontested seats, all the four seats of ward no. 2 of Padra municipality have been declared uncontested. Besides, the reserved women’s seat of Scheduled Tribes in Ward No. 5 of Dabhoi Municipality has also been declared uncontested. The counting of votes of these three municipalities will be done on 2-03-2021.

There are a total of 9,61,830 registered voters for the Vadodara District Panchayat and 8 Taluka Panchayat elections in the district. This includes 4,96,440 male, 4,65,379 female and 11 other voters. A total of 1,174 polling stations will be set up for Vadodara district and 8 taluka panchayat elections so that all these citizens can exercise their voting right, added Collector Shalini Agarwal.

A total of 94,250 voters have registered for the Dabhoi, Padar, and Savli municipal elections. This includes 47,826 males, 46,321 females, and 3 other voters. Dabhoi, Padra, and Savli municipalities have a total of 44617, 35517, and 14146 voters respectively. As many as 105 polling stations will be set up for these voters in all three municipalities.

For Vadodara District and 8 Taluka Panchayat elections, 6,572 officers and employees including reserve staff for 1,174 polling stations will be involved in the election duty. These include 1,308 Presiding Officers, 1,308 Assistant Presiding Officers, 2,708 Polling Officers 1,284 other staff. Besides, eight election officers and 16 assistant election officers have been appointed for the election of 34 district panchayat seats and 16 election officers and 16 assistant election officers for 168 seats of 8 taluka panchayats. Security forces, including police and home guards, will be deployed to ensure that the polls are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere and law and order is maintained.

As many as 587 officers and staff, including reserve staff for 105 polling stations for Dabhoi, Padra, and Savli municipal elections, have been appointed for election duty. These include 113 Presiding Officers, 113 Assistant Presiding Officers, 192 Polling Officers, and 112 other staff. In addition, one election officer and one assistant election officer have been appointed for Dabhoi, Padra, and Savli municipal elections.

Polling for district and taluka panchayat elections of Vadodara district as well as elections for Savli, Padra, and Dabhoi municipalities has been held on 28th February from 7 am to 6 pm.

Concerning this, District Election Officer and Collector Shalini Agarwal have made a special request to strictly follow the guidelines of Covid-19 at the polling stations. It is very important that every voter should come to cast his vote wearing a mask. Voting staff will also be given face shields, gloves, sanitizer as part of the health kit. The temperature will be checked with a thermal gun.

She said that the system has taken strict measures to ensure safe voting. Masks, face shields, hand gloves, sanitizers, PPE kits will be kept at each polling station. Every voter and polling station staff and officer must strictly observe the social distance.

Shalini Agarwal further said that the details of the ward/seat can be viewed online on the State Election Commission website sec.gujarat.gov.in. Helpline number 18002337701 will be given guidance to voters on election day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. In addition, voting details can be viewed every two hours on the website sec-poll.guj.nic.in.