Gujarat civic elections: Voting begins this morning, 4.19 crore voters will decide the future of 15 municipal corporations and 84 municipalities.

Ahmedabad: Voting began on Sunday morning for elections to several local bodies in Gujarat, including 15 municipal corporations and 84 municipalities. According to the State Election Commission, the voting process will run from 7 am to 6 pm. The elections are being held for 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, which is one of the biggest electoral exercises in the state. A total of 9,992 candidates are in the fray and over 4.18 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise.

This time, elections are being held for the first time in nine newly formed municipal corporations Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.

The elections are being conducted under the revised OBC reservation norms, which led to extensive delimitation and reorganization of wards in many districts. Three-tier arrangements have been made on the security front. Along with CCTV surveillance, special squads have been deployed in sensitive areas. Counting of votes will take place on April 28.