Ahmedabad: An estimated 30 per cent electorate cast their votes till noon on December 12 in the first post-Godhra elections in Gujarat held amidst unprecedented security to elect a new Assembly.

"Voting has so far been proceeding smoothly and there have been no reports of any untoward incident," sources in the election office said.

State chief electoral officer Gurcharan Singh said 30 per cent electorate had cast their vote by mid-day.

Police used mild force in Rambagh area of Maninagar Constituency, from where Chief Minister Narendra Modi is contesting, to disperse a large group of people protesting against their exclusion from the electoral rolls. They shouted slogans against the Election Commission.

According to reports, polling which began on a dull note in most of the 181 constituencies, picked up as the day passed by.

Reports from Godhra, Mehsana, Maninagar, Naroda Patiya spoke of moderate to heavy polling with long queues seen at polling stations. In minority-dominated areas of Kalupur constituency, nearly 25 per cent voters cast their votes.

In the tribal belt of Vadodara, Panchmahals and Dohad districts of Central Gujarat, heavy polling was reported.

PTI