Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Elections: Phase 1 Voting Begins Across 16 Zila Parishads, 104 Panchayat Samitis

Voting for the first phase of Rajasthan’s Panchayati Raj elections began at 7 am on Thursday, with 85.07 lakh voters eligible to elect representatives across 16 Zila Parishads and 104 Panchayat Samitis.

A total of 6,926 candidates are contesting in the first phase, with voters choosing representatives for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti seats. Authorities have established 9,886 polling stations to facilitate the voting process.

The electoral contest is expected to be primarily between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) and independent candidates are also competing in several areas.

Polling Underway in Jaipur District
In Jaipur district, voting is taking place across 146 wards in the Chaumun, Dudu, Govindgarh, Jhotwara, Jobner, Kishangarh Renwal, Mauzamabad and Sambhar Panchayat Samitis. Polling is also being conducted in 22 Zila Parishad wards.

A total of 797 polling stations have been established for the first phase in these areas, where 7,43,640 voters are eligible to cast their ballots. The electorate includes 3,84,195 male voters and 3,59,445 female voters.

Elections Scheduled in Multiple Phases
According to the State Election Commission's schedule, elections for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members will be held on October 22, October 29, November 4 and November 14. Voting for Panch and Sarpanch posts will take place in four phases beginning October 25.

More than four crore voters across Rajasthan are eligible to participate in the overall electoral process, with 45,384 polling stations set up throughout the state.

Congress Raises Allegations Against BJP
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has alleged that the BJP used pressure through the police and administration during previous municipal elections.

Randhawa claimed that the ruling party could have faced a complete defeat without such alleged interference. The claims add a political dimension to the ongoing local body elections, which are being closely watched as a contest between the state's major political parties.