Counting of votes for the Manjalpur assembly bypoll in Gujarat gets underway at 8 am on Monday, with tight security arrangements in place at the counting centre and all preparations completed.
A direct fight between two candidates
The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Satish Govindbhai Patel, a former corporator of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, for the seat. He is up against Congress candidate Bhikhabhai Rabari, who serves as the party's Gujarat vice-president and has previously held office as a state minister. The contest is a straight two-way fight, and the outcome remains uncertain.
Why the seat fell vacant
The bypoll became necessary after the death of senior BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Yogesh Patel. Voting for the seat was held on July 30 and passed off peacefully, with no reports of disruption or irregularities.
Turnout sharply down from 2022
Manjalpur recorded a voter turnout of 37.50 percent this time, well below the 60.15 percent turnout the same seat had logged during the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections. The steep drop reflects the lower voter enthusiasm typically seen in bypolls compared to general elections.
Who was eligible to vote
According to the Election Commission, a total of 2,19,494 voters were eligible to cast their ballot in Manjalpur. This included 1,634 voters with disabilities, 1,406 voters aged 85 years and above, and 12 centenarian voters. Ahead of polling day, 107 voters, including 90 senior citizens, had already cast their votes through the Election Commission's home voting facility.
