Gandhinagar, Feb 10 (NationPress) The Gujarat government announced on Tuesday that elections will take place in nine Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across the state. Additionally, the duration of 15 other APMCs has been prolonged by six months due to administrative necessities, which include the ongoing voter list revision.

These decisions were made by the Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Cooperation Department to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of market committees.

Agriculture and Cooperation Minister Jitu Vaghani stated that directives have been issued to commence the statutory process for announcing election programs in APMCs whose elected bodies have reached the end of their terms.

Sharing further details, Vaghani noted that the Agriculture Department has alerted the Director of Agricultural Marketing and Rural Economy to promptly act in accordance with regulations to declare election schedules in market committees where the term has lapsed.

“This will enable timely selection of farmer representatives at the grassroots level,” he remarked.

Elections are set to occur in the APMCs of Bhanvad in Devbhumi Dwarka district, Dholera in Ahmedabad district, Talod in Sabarkantha, Sagbara in Narmada, Kukarmunda in Tapi, Surendranagar, Kamrej in Surat district, and Ranpur and Barwala in Botad district.

The election process for these committees is anticipated to commence shortly. Concurrently, the state government has confirmed a six-month extension for 15 APMCs where elections cannot be conducted right away.

The minister added that district registrars and office personnel are currently participating in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, as mandated by the State Election Commission.

“Due to the ongoing revision of the voter lists, it is not feasible to immediately conduct elections in some market committees whose terms have expired or are close to expiry,” Vaghani explained.

The APMCs that have been granted a six-month extension from the notification date include Thasra and Galteshwar in Kheda district; Deodar, Bhabhar, and Dhanera in Banaskantha district; Junagadh; Dholka and Bavla in Ahmedabad district; Becharaji in Mehsana district; Shehera in Panchmahal district; Nasvadi and Chhota Udepur in Chhota Udepur district; Prantij in Sabarkantha district; Gadhada in Botad district; and Khambha in Amreli district.

The government clarified that market committees where elections are being conducted based on judicial orders or court rulings will not qualify for the six-month extension.