Over 40L to vote in 4,397 booths in Surat district for 16 assembly seats on Dec 9

Surat: Altogether 40,133,61 voters would exercise their right to franchise to elect 16 MLAs in 4,397 polling booths to be set up by the Election Commission of India in Surat city and district for the first phase of assembly elections in Gujarat on December 9. The number of voters is higher by 5,87,460 lakh when compared to 2012 elections.

Of the 16 assembly constituencies, the maximum number of 4,26,561 voters are registered in Kamrej and it is closely followed by Choryasi, which has 4,14,313 voters. The smallest assembly seat is that of Surat north, which has just 1,56,836 voters. There will be 29,063 first time voters in Surat city and district. As many as 4,397 EVMs and VVPAT machines would be used in Surat city and district during the assembly elections. There would be a booth each in all the 16 assembly constituencies, which is proposed to be managed by women only. At least 26,382 employees of the district administration would be on election duty in Surat city and district on the polling day.

Surat district collector and district election officer Mahendra Patel said 53 flying squads, 57 static surveillance teams, 42 video surveillance teams, 20 video viewing teams, 16 accounting and 31 MCC teams have been appointed to enforce the model code of conduct.

If anyone, including a candidate, is found carrying more than Rs 50,000, it would be seized. Star campaigners would be allowed to carry Rs 1 lakh at the most. Income tax department would seize Rs 10 lakh or more found anywhere.