First phase of polls in Gujarat today, record voting expected

The high profile elections in Gujarat begin today with first phase of voting in 89 assembly seats for which 2.39 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar expects record voting.
Kumar said, “Whatever efforts we made in Himachal Pradesh, there was a record voting of 75 per cent. We have made similar efforts in Gujarat also. Efforts have also been made to make people aware and also encouraged them.”
There are more than four lakh persons with disabilities (PWD) voters in the entire Gujarat who have been identified. There are over one lakh senior citizen voters, out of which 10,000 are above 100 years of age. It is a matter of great pleasure that voters above 100 and 80 years of age come to cast their votes, he said. Today is the first phase of elections in Gujarat in which voting will be held on 89 assembly seats. There are 2.39 crore voters in these 89 seats. Voting will be held at 25,430 polling stations.
The CEC said, “Preparations are complete, now is the time to call upon the voters to come out of their homes and vote. Participate in the festival of democracy, enjoy it and vote. Forces are deployed everywhere. A lot of monitoring is being done to ensure that the election is free from inducement. No other incident should happen.”
Kumar said that in the entire election, there will be 182 booths which will be managed by PWDs only. There are 1,274 booths which will have only women employees. PWDs, women and senior citizens are such voters whom we should look at with equity, and equality and consider them as fully capable. “We are showing empowerment towards them so that they become examples for all. They should be respected everywhere in society.”