Surat: The managing committee election of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) was held on Saturday, recording a low voter turnout of 15.88%. Of the 13,043 eligible voters, only 2,072 cast their votes, in line with the typically low participation seen in the chamber’s elections, members said.Of the total votes polled, 214 were declared invalid, leaving 1,858 valid votes for counting. Voting was conducted for 44 seats, and as per rules, each voter was required to cast votes for all 44 candidates. Ballots with fewer selections were rejected, contributing to the high number of invalid votes.The contest was primarily between the Sahkar panel and the Vishwas panel, with one independent candidate also in the fray. The Sahkar panel fielded 44 candidates and secured a clean sweep, with all its nominees winning.Among the winners, Chirag Desai secured the highest number of votes at 1,853. SGCCI vice-president Ashok Jirawala received 1,821 votes and was also elected to the managing committee. Trade leader Kailash Hakim, president of the Federation of Surat Textile and Trade Associations Forum, secured 1,792 votes.The election for the post of vice-president is expected to be announced on Monday.“The election was conducted peacefully. We addressed objections promptly to ensure smooth polling,” said Vijay Mevawala, chairman of the election committee.
