558 candidates line up for 26 Gujarat seats

GANDHINAGAR - As many as 558 people have filed nominations for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat.

The nomination papers were filed April 8 and 9, a senior poll official at the State Election Office said Friday. Nominations will be scrutinised Saturday. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 13.

The number of contestants in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls was 162.

There are 36.3 million voters in the state comprising 18.8 million men and 17.5 million women. As per the latest records, the Navsari seat in south Gujarat has the highest number of voters - at 1.61 million - and Dahod in central Gujarat has the lowest - at 1.19 million.

Four of the 26 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste candidates.