SURAT: Polling for the first phase of assembly elections commenced at a brisk pace on Saturday morning, but the enthusiasm among voters began to fizzle out by afternoon, which resulted in the Diamond City recording little less voting compared to the assembly elections of 2012. With no major incidents of violence, polling was peaceful, but for complaints of electronic voting machine (EVM) glitches from at least 60 polling booths across the city and names of large number of voters missing from electoral rolls.
Surat city had recorded 69.58 per cent voting in 2012 assembly elections and this time the voting percentage could be slightly less, sources said.
City unit Congress president Hasmukh Desai said, "Looking at voter turnout, we expect to win nine of the 12 seats in the city. The three seats in which we are running neck and neck are Majura, Surat (West) and Choriyasi."
City unit BJP president Nitin Bhajiawala claimed that his party will retain all the 12 assembly seats in the city. He said, "We have taken care to see that all BJP supporters voted early. The opposition has not been able to dent our plank of development and Surat's people have again reposed their faith in BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
As polling started in the morning, number of complaints of non-functioning of EVMs, bluetooth connectivity at the polling booths and missing names from electoral rolls began to pour in from Limbayat, Rander, Godadara, Piplod and Majura constituencies.
Long queues were witnessed in Patidar-dominated assembly seats namely Varachha, Kamrej, Katargam and Karanj. At Sadhana Vidyalaya in Varachha's Hira Baug, long queues of women voters were witnessed as early as 9 am, whereas two centres at Yogi Chowk, the epicentre of Patidar agitation, also witnessed long queues of families waiting for their turn at the polling booths.
In Nanavat and Sagrampura areas in the walled city, long queues were witnessed at the polling booths. At some of the polling booths, voters complained about slow pace of voting and technical glitches. At Sagrampura, voters had to wait in long queues for more than an hour as the EVM machines had developed some technical problem.
At Adajan in Surat (West) constituency, around three EVMs were replaced and voters had to wait in long queues for more than two hours. The polling staff and election officers had to face the ire of voters.
A voter from Majura constituency Jankhana Desai after casting her vote with a new system said, "This is an experience. We exactly know the candidate whom we have voted for. This gives us surety that our vote has gone to the right candidate."
Queues were witnessed in Limbayat, Godadara, Parvat Patia and Udhna areas of the city in the morning where people waited for more than an hour at some of the polling booths to cast their votes. In Godadara, a few complaints regarding bogus voting in someone else's name were allegedly made by BJP agents.
Surat city had recorded 69.58 per cent voting in 2012 assembly elections and this time the voting percentage could be slightly less, sources said.
City unit Congress president Hasmukh Desai said, "Looking at voter turnout, we expect to win nine of the 12 seats in the city. The three seats in which we are running neck and neck are Majura, Surat (West) and Choriyasi."
City unit BJP president Nitin Bhajiawala claimed that his party will retain all the 12 assembly seats in the city. He said, "We have taken care to see that all BJP supporters voted early. The opposition has not been able to dent our plank of development and Surat's people have again reposed their faith in BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
As polling started in the morning, number of complaints of non-functioning of EVMs, bluetooth connectivity at the polling booths and missing names from electoral rolls began to pour in from Limbayat, Rander, Godadara, Piplod and Majura constituencies.
Long queues were witnessed in Patidar-dominated assembly seats namely Varachha, Kamrej, Katargam and Karanj. At Sadhana Vidyalaya in Varachha's Hira Baug, long queues of women voters were witnessed as early as 9 am, whereas two centres at Yogi Chowk, the epicentre of Patidar agitation, also witnessed long queues of families waiting for their turn at the polling booths.
In Nanavat and Sagrampura areas in the walled city, long queues were witnessed at the polling booths. At some of the polling booths, voters complained about slow pace of voting and technical glitches. At Sagrampura, voters had to wait in long queues for more than an hour as the EVM machines had developed some technical problem.
At Adajan in Surat (West) constituency, around three EVMs were replaced and voters had to wait in long queues for more than two hours. The polling staff and election officers had to face the ire of voters.
A voter from Majura constituency Jankhana Desai after casting her vote with a new system said, "This is an experience. We exactly know the candidate whom we have voted for. This gives us surety that our vote has gone to the right candidate."
Queues were witnessed in Limbayat, Godadara, Parvat Patia and Udhna areas of the city in the morning where people waited for more than an hour at some of the polling booths to cast their votes. In Godadara, a few complaints regarding bogus voting in someone else's name were allegedly made by BJP agents.
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