Assembly elections in Gujarat will be held in two phases on Dec. 9 and 14, the Election Commission announced, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress.
Counting will take place on Dec. 18, Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti said at a press conference. The Model Code of Conduct comes into immediate effect, he added.
The poll process will start on Nov. 14 with the issue of the gazette notification for the first phase. Candidates can start filing their nominations from that day.
The first phase will be held in 89 of the 182 seats and will cover 19 of 33 districts. The notification for the second phase will be issued on Nov. 20 for the remaining 93 assembly seats.
Also Read: BJP Faces Poll Challenge on Modi's Home Turf
Paper trail of votes will be used in all the 50,128 polling stations in the state to ensure transparency, Joti said. Voters will be able to see their votes cast through the Voter-Verified Paper Trail Audit (VVPAT) machines.
The Commission has also set up 182 all-women polling stations, one in each assembly constituency.
CCTV cameras will be used at border checkposts to prevent the smuggling of liquor and money and to stop anti-social elements from entering the state, the Chief Election Commissioner added. “Elections in Gujarat have always been peaceful and the Commission will take all steps to ensure that.”
Watch this discussion with Aditi Phadnis, political editor at the Business Standard and Mahesh Langa, senior editor at The Hindu on how the battle for Gujarat could shape up.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
