Gujarat Elections 2017: 68% voter turnout in 1st phase, likely to cross 70%, says EC

An estimated 68 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the first phase of polling in 89 constituencies in Gujarat till 5 p.m., with the Election Commission saying the figure is likely to cross 70 per cent.

Addressing a press conference Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said polling was going on till late at many places, and those who were in the queue by 5 p.m. will be given an opportunity to vote.

"In many places as reported till late the poll was going on. Those who were in queue at 5 p.m. will be given an opportunity to vote," he said, adding that the final polling figures will come late in the evening.

The first phase of poll for 89 seats in 19 districts recorded 68 per cent polling, and it may touch the figure of 71 per cent, similar to the last assembly elections when the percentage was recorded at 70.7 per cent.

District wise, polling in Kachch district was recorded at 63 per cent, 75 in Surendranagar, 75 in Morbi, 70 in Rajkot, 65 in Jamnagar, 71 in Bharuch, 73 in Narmada, 73 in Khed, 60 in Porbandar, 63 in Devebhoomi Dwarka, 70 in Gir Somnath, 67 in Amreli, 62 in Bhavnagar, 70 in Surat, 75 in Navsari, 70 in Valsad, 60 in Botad, 73 in Tapi, 65 in Junagadh, 70 in Dang,
and 60 in Botad.

Sinha said that there were some complaints of Electronic Voting Machines being connected to bluetooth, but it was found to be "totally false".

He also said that it was the first time EVMs with VVPAT (Voter-verified paper audit trail) was used on such a large scale.

Here is how the voting progressed in the first phase:  

7:01 PM IST: Election Commission clarifying over allegations of EVMs being operated through bluetooth and says, "There is no such connection of any bluettoth or EVM."

6:43 PM IST: Election Commission releases final number of voters on the first day of polls, says 68% voter turnout today.

6:31 PM IST: Election Commission addresses media as the first phase ends, says "The first phase was peaceful and I thank media for the vast coverage of the elections."

6:25 PM IST: Jaitley hits back at Congress over alleged malfunctions in the EVMs, says "These are baseless statements and prepartion of upcoming defeat[sic]."

6:24 PM IST: EVMs and VVPATs being sealed after the first phase of polling ended.

6:07 PM IST: Finance Minister compliments Election Commission officials and thanks voters, says, "BJP will register a landslide victory."

5:47 PM IST: Few voters alleged that their votes are going to a different party even as they casted it as per their choice. The voting officer warned them that if their allegations were to be false, strict action will be taken against them. The complainant voters left without tests.

5:28 PM IST: Congress VP Rahul Gandhi takes a jibe at Modi, says "This is not about me or Modiji, it's about the future of Gujarat."

5:09 PM IST: 47.28% voters have cast their votes in first phase till 4 pm on Saturday.

4:27 PM IST: Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Radabhai Vala has cast his vote.

4:20 PM IST: A selfie point installed in Bhavnagar to attract voters as the first phase of Gujarat polls is underway.

4:18 PM IST: 1.90% of VVPATs replaced out of 24,689 units deployed. 0.37% out of the 26,865 Ballot Units and 0.38% out of the 24,689 Control Units also replaced on the first day of voting.

4:08 PM IST: Bhavnagar Deputy Electoral Officer confirms that there are no issues of EVM malfunctioning reported. 

3:20 PM IST: 35.52 percent voter turnout recorded till 2 pm in first phase of Gujarat Election 2017.

2:27 PM IST: Even as Gujarat residents are casting their vote in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress vice-president is still trying to woo voters at ongoing rallies.

2:09 PM IST: Minister of State PMO Jitendra Singh has said that the Congress is purposely harping on the issue of malfunctioning EVMs so that they can ping the blame of losing the elections on the machines.

2:05 PM IST: Bhavnagar District Collector Harshad Patel has said that the administration is looking into all EVM related problems.

1:35 PM IST: PM Modi, while addressing a rally in Bodeli, said that Congress leaders are unable to understand and identify with the aspirations of the tribal communities and farmers.

1:30 PM IST: 21.09% voting till 12 pm in the first phase of Gujarat Election 2017.

1:06 PM IST: Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also said that BJP will definitely ace the elections.

12:54 PM IST: Rajiv Shukla of the Congress said that the Youth Congress leader Nizami, whom PM Modi had alleged was belittling him, doesn't  belong to Congress.

"Salman Nizami kaun hai hum jaante hi nahi. He does not hold any position in the party. We can also say that there is some random person Ram Lal in BJP who said something," said Shukla.

12:25 PM IST: According to a News 18 report, senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia said that EVMs in some places in Gujarat are getting connected via Bluetooth to some devices like mobile phones and laptops.

12:15 PM IST: Modi continued to flay Congress just like he did while campaigning for the BJP in the Gujarat Assembly Elections.

12:07 PM IST: PM Modi also alleged that the Congress never fulfils the promises it makes to the Muslim community of India.

12:01 PM IST: The PM took a dig at Youth Congress leader Salman Nizami for taking a jibe at his family.

"There is a youth Congress leader Salman Nizami, he is even campaigning for Congress in Gujarat. He wrote on Twitter about Rahul Ji's father, grandmother. That is ok but he asks - Modi tell me who is your mother, who is your father? Such language can't even be used for enemies," said the PM while addressing a gathering in Lunavada.

"Among the other things he says -- he calls for Azad Kashmir. He calls our army rapists. How can the people accept such people like Salman Nizami? He also says there will be an Afzal from every home," Modi was quoted as saying by ANI.

12:00 PM IST: PM Modi is also confident that Congress will receive a setback in Gujarat elections.

11:45 AM IST: A total of 9.77 percent voter turnout recorded till 10 am in the first phase of voting.

11:35 AM IST: In Junagadh when BJP's Reshma Patel arrived to cast her vote, she was greeted with protests by a few Patidars.

11:10 AM IST: Congress leader Ahmed Patel has said that EVM malfunctioning should be immediately taken care of for a smooth voting process.

10:55 AM IST: More reports of technical problems with voting machines surfaces in Surat. 

10:38 AM IST: Congress' Arjun Modhwadia casts his vote at a polling booth in Porbandar.

10:33 AM IST: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel has cast his vote in Bharuch's Ankleshwar. He is also confident that Congress will ace the elections.

10:31 AM IST: Incidents of more faulty EVMs are being reported.

10:30 AM IST: Even the voters are quite enthusiastic to cast their votes, as a couple in Bharuch decided to cast their vote before getting married.

10:20 AM IST: Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara casts his vote in Rajkot's Ravi Vidayalaya booth.

10:11 AM IST: A Times Now report has said that EVM malfunctioning was reported from areas like Surat, Rajkot.

10:09 AM IST: 8.5 percent voter turnout in the first hour of voting in Gujarat, said a CNN-News18 report.

10:01 AM IST: At Surat's Kamrej assembly seat, BJP's Zalavadiya Vinubhai Dahyabhai is up against Congress's Ashok Jirawala.

9:59 AM IST: Voters at Bharuch's Bahumali seat.

9:50 AM IST: Congress party member and former CM of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot has urged voters to support his party in Gujarat.

9:40 AM IST: CM Vijay Rupani has also urged the residents of Gujarat to cast their "crucial votes".

9:23 AM IST: After Goa, Gujarat has chosen to use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system along with electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all the polling booths in both phases. Around 27,158 EVMs are being used.

9:21 AM IST: BJP MLA Harsh Sanghvi is contesting against Congress's Ashok Kothari in Surat's Majura seat.

9:20 AM IST: A visual of voters standing in queues to cast their vote.

9:08 AM IST: CM Vijay Rupani casts his vote in Rajkot. He is contesting against Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru from Rajkot-West seat.

9:01 AM IST: BJP's Jhankhnaben Patel will be contesting against Congress's Yogeshbhai B Patel in Surat's Choryasi assembly seat.

8:58 AM IST: BJP Gujarat chief Jitubhai Vaghani casts his vote in Bhavnagar.

8:55 AM IST: Voting underway in Surat and Bharuch's Ankleshwar.

8:50 AM IST: CM Vijay Rupani is confident of BJP's victory.

8:40 AM IST: Over 1.11 crore male voters and 1.01 crore female voters will be casting their votes today.

8:35 AM IST: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges voters for maximum turnout.

8:30 AM IST: Maximum candidates contesting for a seat are 27 from Jamnagar Rural. There are just three candidates each in Jhagadia and Ganadevi constituencies and both belong to the Scheduled Tribe seats.

8:00 AM IST: The polling began at 8 am and will end at 5 pm on Saturday.