Voting started at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, in line with the schedule set by the State Election Commission.

The electoral exercise covers 15 municipal corporations—such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot—along with 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats, making it one of the largest local polls in the state.

A total of 9,992 candidates are contesting, while over 4.18 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots.

Authorities have deployed a three-tier security arrangement, supported by CCTV surveillance and special squads in sensitive areas, officials said.

The elections are being held under revised norms for Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations, following extensive ward delimitation and restructuring in several districts.

The ruling BJP, the Congress, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are the main contenders, while the AIMIM is also in the fray in multiple locations.

Prominent candidates include former Gujarat-cadre IPS officer M L Ninama, former radio jockey Abha Desai, and ex-AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani. Ninama is contesting from the Odh seat in Shamlaji taluka for the Arvalli district panchayat, while Bhayani has been fielded by the BJP from the Bhesan seat in Junagadh district panchayat. Desai, popularly known as RJ Abha, is contesting as a Congress candidate from Ward No. 10 in the Rajkot Municipal Corporation.

Notably, elections are being held for the first time in nine newly formed municipal corporations, including Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar, and Surendranagar.

Vote counting is scheduled for April 28.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel led the BJP's campaign, while AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressed multiple rallies across the state. AAP is contesting around 5,000 seats, marking its largest participation in Gujarat's local polls.

Other participants include the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and independent candidates. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also campaigned in the final phase, holding public meetings in Ahmedabad and Bhuj.

In the previous local body elections held in March 2021, the BJP registered a sweeping victory, winning 6,236 of the 8,470 seats across municipalities and securing control of all six municipal corporations, 81 municipalities, 32 district panchayats, and 231 taluka panchayats.