Rajkot, June 23 — In a vibrant display of democratic participation, voters across eight districts of Saurashtra turned out in large numbers on Sunday to cast their votes in general and by-elections for 524 gram panchayats. Despite weather challenges due to rain, polling was peaceful and enthusiastic, recording an average turnout of around 70 percent.
Security arrangements were tight across all districts, ensuring an incident-free election day. Voters, including the elderly and differently-abled, participated with notable zeal, emphasizing their commitment to strengthening grassroots democracy.
District-wise voting data reflects an encouraging trend:
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In Rajkot, by-elections for 45 panchayats saw a voter turnout of 69.38%.
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In Jamnagar, 187 panchayats recorded 75.17% voting for sarpanch posts and 75.1% for members.
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In Morbi, 27 panchayats had 73.77% turnout for sarpanch and 77.14% for members.
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Junagadh saw 70.70% turnout for sarpanch and 71.71% for member posts across 73 panchayats.
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Gir Somnath had 73.10% (sarpanch) and 73.30% (member) turnout in 22 panchayats.
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In Porbandar, 15 panchayats recorded 60.65% and 61.72% for sarpanch and members, respectively.
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Amreli witnessed 70.88% (sarpanch) and 71.19% (member) turnout across 86 panchayats.
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Devbhumi Dwarka saw 73.25% (sarpanch) and 72.71% (member) voter participation in 69 panchayats.
The overall turnout is a strong indicator of the rural electorate’s awareness and active engagement in shaping local leadership. With voting concluded, attention now turns to the upcoming results, which will determine the future direction of governance and development in these villages.
