Ahmedabad: In a development that could dramatically reshape the city’s political landscape, Ahmedabad’s voter base has shrunk by a staggering 8.24 lakh ahead of the much-awaited civic body elections, raising questions about its potential impact on electoral outcomes.The draft electoral roll for 2026 reveals that the Ahmedabad city now has 38,00,507 voters — down sharply from 46,24,638 in 2021, and even lower than the 2015 figure of 38,79,771. The decline follows a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and large-scale voter verification, officials of the Ahmedabad collectorate said, even as political parties begin recalibrating their strategies.The contraction is widespread. Of the city’s 48 wards, as many as 45 have reported a drop in voter numbers. Navrangpura has emerged as the most affected, with 29,939 names struck off the rolls — the steepest decline across the city. In contrast, Nikol stands out with an addition of 3,902 voters, the highest increase, while Chandkheda and Maktampura are the only other wards to record growth.The scale of the revision is significant, especially in a city where municipal elections are often decided by margins as narrow as 5,000 to 20,000 votes, said a state govt official. Notably, 24 wards have seen deletions exceeding 20,000 voters each — an indicator that the new rolls could decisively alter ward-level electoral equations.The timing of the revision has also delayed the election process. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC’s) elected wing completed its term on March 9, but the polls are yet to be announced due to the ongoing finalisation of the voter list. In the interim, the state govt has appointed an administrator to oversee civic affairs.Zone-wise data underscores the extent of the decline. In the western part, 16 of 18 wards have registered a drop, with only Chandkheda and Maktampura bucking the trend. The eastern part presents an even starker picture, where 29 of 30 wards have recorded a fall, leaving Nikol as the sole exception.Officials attribute the fluctuations to the alignment of electoral rolls with Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies, as well as the rigorous verification drive. They have urged citizens to check their names in the draft roll and seek corrections or inclusion before the final list is published.The draft rolls, released on March 23, have been made available at 58 locations across the city, including ward and zonal offices, the election department at AMC’s Naranpura facility, and the Ahmedabad collector office.With Ahmedabad’s civic map having evolved — from 64 wards in 2010 to 48 after the 2015 delimitation, alongside the later inclusion of areas like Bopal-Ghuma and Kathwada — the latest voter revision marks yet another turning point.
