Representative image of voting.
Credit: iStock Photo
Ahmedabad: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Tuesday announced much awaited local body elections in Gujarat, slated to be held on February 16.
The votes will be counted on February 18 and the election process will be concluded by February 21.
The polls hold significance for the fact that it is being held after a gap of two years and for the first time, 27 per cent of the seats will be reserved for Other Backward Castes (OBCs) from the previous 10 per cent.
The polls will be held for Junagadh Municipal Corporation, 66 municipalities and three taluka panchayats. Besides, by-elections will be held for many vacant seats in municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats as well as taluka panchayats.
In a press conference, state election commissioner S Murali Krishna told reporters elections will be held on February 16 for a total of 2,178 seats. He said that 27% of seats will be reserved for OBCs in accordance with the state government's decision in 2023.
In August 2023, the government increased the OBCs quota limit in the local bodies from existing ten percent to 27% based on recommendation from Justice Jhaveri Commission's report. The quotas for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes have not been changed.
This is also said to be the major political battle on grassroots among ruling BJP and opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party before 2027 Assembly polls.