Gujarat: Over 56% voting in Kadi, Visavadar bypolls; counting of votes on June 23
The by-elections to the Assembly constituencies of Kadi in Mehsana district and Visavadar in Junagadh recorded approximately 57.90% and 56.89% polling, respectively, on Thursday, said a release from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer. The voting got completed in a 'peaceful atmosphere', the official release added.
Counting of votes will be done on June 23.
The release stated that the approximate voter turnout is as per data uploaded till 7 pm.
The state government had declared a holiday on Thursday for the two constituencies for voting. The polling started at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm.
The bypoll of Kadi assembly constituency was necessitated after it fell vacant following the death of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Karshan Solanki in February this year. The seat is reserved for the Scheduled Caste communities and a total of eight candidates were in the fray in the electoral battle.
The BJP has fielded Rajendra Chavda on the seat whereas the Congress has nominated a former MLA from the same seat, Ramesh Chavda, as its candidate for Kadi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated Jagdish Chavda for the seat.
At Visavadar constituency, the by-election was necessitated after sitting MLA from AAP, Bhupendra Bhayani, resigned from the seat in December 2023 and later joined the BJP. All eyes were on the BJP to see if it would field Bhayani on the seat or not. Eventually, the party nominated its former Junagadh district president and local cooperative leader, Kirit Patel, from the seat.
The BJP is facing a challenge from AAP's senior leader Gopal Italia and Congress's Nitin Ranpariya on the seat.
The AAP has apparently thrown its weight behind the candidate in the Visavadar constituency with its top national leadership, including former Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi, and current Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, joining Italia as he filed his nomination papers.
In the past, Visavadar was represented by former CM Keshubhai Patel.
This time, the Praja Shakti Democratic Party (PSDP), launched by former CM Shankersinh Vaghela, has also nominated candidates for both the seats.
At present, the 182-member Gujarat Assembly has 161 MLAs of the BJP, followed by 12 of the Congress, and four of the AAP. While the Samajwadi Party (SP) has one legislator, two other MLAs are independents.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Delhi govt mulls bringing back private liquor vends under new excise policy
Private players could make a comeback in Delhi's liquor shops. The Delhi BJP government, which is preparing a new excise policy, is considering reintroducing private liquor shops in the Capital — just as it was in the old excise regime before 2021. The government plans to implement the new policy by July 1 with an aim to increase revenue, curb corruption and bring transparency. According to sources, the government is likely to provide licences to private players to provide a good walk-in experience for customers. 'About 100-150 private liquor shops, mostly in malls and other premium locations, are being considered. The numbers will be finalised once the policy is ready. The modalities of how to issue the licence, whether through an e-auction or e-lottery, are currently being discussed. A meeting of a high-level committee set up to prepare the policy, which is headed by the Chief Secretary, was also held on Friday. Issues such as the number of shops, licensing, etc, were discussed,' sources said. Under the pre-2021 policy, both government and private liquor shops operated in Delhi. In November 2021, the government — the AAP was in power at the time — had exited the liquor business and handed things over to private vendors, with an aim to cut down corruption. The policy soon ran into controversy and investigations by multiple agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation. In 2022, the government scrapped this policy and brought back the old excise regime — but only liquor shops run by government corporations were allowed to operate. Almost all top AAP — including former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia — were jailed in the case. Currently, a major issue facing Delhi is the unavailability of popular and good quality brands of whisky, beer, vodka, gin, and several others. 'Some popular brands are not in Delhi as their parent company was blacklisted from selling liquor in the national capital following complaints of irregularities and court cases during the implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy… Less popular brands have entered the scene, which has pushed customers to neighbouring states… The government is planning to increase the availability of popular brands and is likely to reintroduce some that are currently not available in Delhi shops…,' said sources. Popular choices like Chivas Regal, Blenders Pride and Royal Stag, part of the Pernod Ricard brand, are not available in Delhi. Pernod Ricard India's application for an L-1 licence was rejected earlier. Benoy Babu, a regional manager at PRI, was a witness in the CBI's excise case. Babu was eventually arrested by the ED. Meanwhile, discussions on rationalising brand licence fees and retail margins are also underway, said sources, adding that excise duty and retail licensing are also likely to be increased under the new policy. 'The retail margin cap is Rs 50 for Indian-Made Foreign Liquor and Rs 100 for foreign liquor. This is on a per-bottle basis. Government-run shops have monopolised the retail business by pushing less popular brands at the range of Rs 400 to Rs 600, instead of stocking premium brands. Also, cheaper brands sell fast… Thus, discussions are on to rationalise these margins to increase revenue as well as make premium brands available for customers,' said sources. Industry sources said private retailers have started searching for properties in the city to set up shop. Currently, there are over 700 liquor shops in Delhi run by the four government corporations — Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi Consumer's Cooperative Whole-sale Store and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation. The Excise Department has asked the four corporations to carry out document validation online by June 30. Last week, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said several reforms will be incorporated into the new policy, including scientific testing of liquor quality, digitisation of the sale system, curbing illegal sales, and ensuring transparency in the licensing process. The high-level committee is also studying policies implemented in Delhi earlier and those in neighbouring states.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
French literature influences writers and politicians in Kerala: Tharoor
T'puram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stressed the cultural bond between France and Kerala, stating that French literature had a deep influence on writers and politicians of the state. Speaking at the launch of the 'Pardon My French' bookshelf at DC Books, organised by the French Institute of India on Thursday, Tharoor said, "French culture and ideas have seeped into our consciousness through political writing, appreciation and values of democracy, liberty, equality and fraternity." He noted that the extraordinary contribution of French writers opened new ways of thinking. "More than 100 years ago, in a transformative act of literary vision, Nalappat Narayana Menon translated Victor Hugo's Les Misérables into Malayalam as 'Paavangal'. It was a cultural transplantation and the soil of Kerala received it not just out of curiosity but with gratitude and a bit of revolutionary fervour. Our famous communist leader, EMS Namboothiripad, said 'Paavangal' was one of the sparks that led him to communism. Writers like Thagazhi and O V Vijayan have said that in the translated works of French writing, they found a new idiom of empathy, a new narrative possibility and a new lens through which to view the oppressed and the invisible. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo With 'Paavangal', Malayalam found a weapon for awakening and that engagement partly contributed to the decades of remarkable visionary and social ferment in Kerala from the 1930s onwards," Tharoor said. He also mentioned that many other Malayalis started to translate works of French and Russian fiction and modernist works and that's how the doors to people like Guy de Maupassant, Victor Hugo and Émile Zola were opened to Malayali minds. "That's how many Malayalis discovered the challenges of realism and introspection in a literature that mirrors society and questions it," he added. "The French, in many ways, have a cultural affinity to us, including in our great conversational habit. The habit of sitting around and discussing over coffee. The Bengali adda, the Malayali tea shop. This is France, except that it is taking place in our languages," he said.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
CM should write to Prez against guv: Venugopal
Kottayam: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said that the governor is degrading the constitutional position he holds. He demanded that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan should write to the President about it. Venugopal told reporters in Alappuzha on Saturday that the post of the governor is the highest constitutional post in a state. "He has decided to forfeit its value. It is not a post that should be used for selfish political interests. The President should intervene in such matters. The CM should write a letter to the President at the earliest, pointing out that the governor is misusing his post," he said. Venugopal also asked why the CM is not ready for it. He said that the finance minister's announcement that welfare pension will be provided from the 20th of this month was only to influence the voters of Nilambur and misuse the election. This is a blatant violation of the election code of conduct. The Election Commission should take this seriously. The UDF will consider filing a complaint, he said. He said that during the Nilambur byelection, he strongly criticised the way welfare pension is being distributed in arrears. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "Welfare pension is the right of the common man. They are entitled to receive it without arrears. This is the govt that came to power saying that welfare pension would be increased to Rs 2,500. Now, even as their term is about to end, it is only Rs 1,600," he added. Venugopal said UDF is confident that it will win the Nilambur byelection. "It is because of this certainty that the LDF has not paid the pension. There has never been another election where there was so much unity in the UDF. The Muslim League was more enthusiastic than the Congress. Sadikkali Thangal and P K Kunhalikutty worked as if it were their own election. The IUML cadres worked with more enthusiasm than they would have worked for an IUML candidate. All the leaders and cadres of the Congress worked together in unison," Venugopal said. The AICC general secretary also said Shashi Tharoor is an indivisible factor of the Congress. "Congress is a party that ensures freedom of expression. Congress has its own ideas and goals. Everyone has instructions to go along with it. The party has the right to take action if that 'Lakshman Rekha' is violated anywhere. Congress is not a party that violates anyone's freedom of expression and freedom of movement," Venugopal said in response to a question.
