Huge turnout in panchayat polls

AHMEDABAD: Huge voter turnout was reported in all the 2,193 gram panchayats which went to the polls on Sunday.
The state election commission said in an official release that the turnout was between 65 and 70 per cent, and the entire process ended peacefully.
While general elections were held in 1,475 panchayats, byelections were held in the remaining 718.
Though elections were scheduled to be held for 1,569 sarpanchs and 12,663 wards, 375 sarpanchs and 2,726 wards of 375 gram panchayats were elected uncontested. Further, 42 more sarpanchs and 3,278 wards won unchallenged.
Meanwhile, city police commissioner K R Kaushik has issued directives imposing prohibitory orders in and around counting centres on Tuesday beginning 7 am, when counting for the gram panchayat elections begins.
The counting will held at the city mamlatdar office located in the collectorate compound and at Mehsul Bhavan near Subhash bridge.
An assembly of more than four persons has been banned in a radius of 200 metres from the centre. Conducting processions, using microphones and sloganeering have also been banned till the counting is completed.