Rajkot/Ahmedabad, Dec 13: A record 67 per cent voter turnout was registered in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections today in the biggest electoral test for BJP stalwart and Chief Minister Narendra Modi who is seeking a third straight term.
The fate of state's top political leaders including the the fledgling Gujarat Parivartan Party(GPP) president Keshubhai Patel, a former Chief Minister and Modi's bete noire, BJP's R C Faldu and Congress' Arjun Modhwadia were sealed in today's voting in 87 of the 182 Assembly constituencies.
The voting held amid tight security was peaceful barring a couple of incidents of violence and a few complaints of technical glitches in Electronic Voting Machines(EVM).
“Approximately 67 per cent voting has taken place in the phase one of the state elections,” Additional chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar said in Ahmedabad.
The second phase will be held on December 17 while the counting of votes will be taken up on December 20.
Today's polling covered 48 in seven districts of Saurashtra region, 35 seats in seven districts of south Gujarat and four seats in Ahmedabad district.
