SMC records 59.32% turnout, marking 12% jump from 2021

Surat: With the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) elections recorded a significant rise in voter turnout, even as the number of voters declined sharply due to deletions in the list.The provisional turnout stood at 59.32%, nearly 12% higher than the 47.14% recorded in the 2021 elections. However, the electorate reduced following the revision, bringing the total number of voters to 14.68 lakh in 2026, down from 15.50 lakh earlier.Till 9pm, Anjana-Dumbhal ward recorded the highest turnout at 73.23%, while Adajan-Pal-Ichhapore saw the lowest at 51.36%. Other strong performances included Limbayat-Udhna Yard at 69.98% and Limbayat-Parvat-Kumbhariya at 66.70%. Kansad-Sachin-Un-Abhva recorded 65.33%, while Vadi Faliya-Salabatpura registered 66.53% turnout.Out of 24.76 lakh registered voters, 14.68 lakh cast their votes to elect 483 candidates for 120 seats across 30 wards. Of these, 8.17 lakh were male voters and 6.51 lakh were female voters. The day also saw several emotional and inspiring moments of civic participation. Umesh Mishra, a kidney patient undergoing treatment at Kiran Hospital, was brought in an ICU-equipped ambulance under medical supervision to cast his vote shortly after being taken off ventilator support.In another instance, Sachin Vanzwala from Vanz village voted in traditional wedding attire before heading to his marriage ceremony, highlighting the spirit of participation despite personal commitments.Prominent leaders also exercised their franchise. Union Minister CR Patil voted near his residence in Bhatar, while Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi cast his vote at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Icchhanath. Cabinet Minister Praful Panseriya also voted at a booth in Ward-2. BOX Bogus voting complaint in pollsA couple, Nikunj Vaghasiya and Amisha Vaghasiya, alleged that their votes were cast by others at booth-24 of Ward-4 during the SMC elections. They said that when they reached the booth, the presiding officer informed them that their votes had already been polled, and they were denied permission to vote. In Ward-5 as well, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raised complaints of bogus voting.In Adajan, an AAP female candidate was involved in a heated exchange with a BJP worker over alleged violation of the model code of conduct.Scuffles reported in Ankleshwar, NavsariIn Ankleshwar municipality polls, Congress leader Mumtaz Patel faced a confrontation with BJP Ward-8 candidate Shahida. A video of the incident has gone viral in which Shahida is seen alleging that Congress leaders have done injustice to poor people from the minority community. In Navsari Municipal Corporation elections, Ward-13 Congress candidate Pramod Rathod alleged that he was slapped by the father-in-law of a BJP candidate. Rathod later approached the police station seeking action in the matter.
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