Voting for the second phase of the Rajasthan Panchayat Raj Elections 2026 officially commenced on October 28 across 22 districts of the state. In this crucial electoral phase, a total of 8,257 candidates are fiercely contesting for 2,453 wards across various district councils and panchayat committees. According to data released by the election commission, 984 candidates are in the fray for 275 district council wards, while 7,273 aspirants are trying their luck for 2,178 panchayat committee wards. Polling is scheduled from 7 am to 6 pm, for which the state election commission and police administration have put robust security measures in place to ensure a fair and peaceful electoral process.
Strict Security and Comprehensive Polling Arrangements
To facilitate voters and maintain law and order, a total of 413 polling stations have been established, equipped with all necessary basic amenities. Sensitive polling booths are being closely monitored through webcasting and the deployment of additional police forces. The primary objective of the authorities is to ensure that rural voters can exercise their franchise freely without any fear or intimidation. Long queues of enthusiastic voters have been visible at various polling stations since early morning, reflecting deep public participation in this democratic exercise.
High Turnout in Jalore and Boycott in Jhalawar Samia
Voters across all seven panchayat committees of Jalore district—Jalore, Ahor, Bhadrajun, Ummedabad, Sayla, Bhinmal, and Jaswantpura—have shown tremendous enthusiasm, with people thronging polling booths since morning. In contrast, residents of the rehabilitation colony in Samia village under the Pidawa or Sunel region of Jhalawar district took a strong stand by boycotting the polls to protest the lack of basic amenities like roads and drains. Upon receiving information, water resource department officials rushed to the spot and persuaded villagers to vote by assuring them that their grievances would be resolved immediately after the elections.
Sirohi District Sees Voting by Over 3.54 Lakh Electors
Polling for the second phase began at 7 am today across four key panchayat committees in Sirohi district, namely Sirohi, Revdar, Bhavri, and Pindwara. More than 3.54 lakh eligible voters are casting their ballots via electronic voting machines across 353 polling booths. A special model polling station has also been established in Goyli to welcome voters. Heavy police deployment, mobile patrolling units, and dedicated supervision teams have been deployed to maintain absolute peace and fairness, with the district administration keeping a close watch on the entire proceeding.
EVM Malfunctions in Dausa and Smooth Polling in Ajmer and Alwar
During the 2026 panchayat elections in Dausa, technical glitches were reported in three electronic voting machines at the Government Higher Secondary School polling station in Gudhakatla. Voting started with delays of one and a half hours at booth number 16, one hour at booth number 14, and twenty minutes at booth number 13. At booth 16, both the ballot unit and control unit had to be replaced entirely. District Election Officer Soumya Jha remained in constant touch with the technical team to monitor the situation and ensure smooth continuation of voting. Meanwhile, polling commenced at 7 am in Arai of Ajmer district and Rajgarh of Alwar district, where voters are casting two separate votes each for district council and panchayat committee members.
Karoli and Rajsamand Witness Steady Voter Turnout
Polling is also progressing rapidly in Karauli and Rajsamand districts during this second phase. Votes are being cast for district council and panchayat committee members across seven panchayat committees in Jalore and three in Karauli. In Karauli, Masalpur, and Nadauti, over 2.64 lakh voters are casting ballots across 284 booths in 53 wards. A close triangular contest is underway among the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, and the Bahujan Samaj Party, prompting the deployment of 1,332 security personnel. Similarly, in Rajsamand district, elections are underway across four major panchayat committees—Bhim, Devgarh, Relmagra, and Rajsamand—where the political fates of 16 district council members and 80 panchayat committee members will be decided. A total of 407,685 voters, comprising male, female, and third-gender individuals, are exercising their voting rights across 1,303 wards in 147 gram panchayats within these four committees.
List of 22 Districts Undergoing Polling
Voters are casting their ballots across 22 major districts of the state in this second phase. The participating districts include Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Barmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Dausa, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Karauli, Kota, Kotputli-Behror, Nagaur, Pali, Rajsamand, सीकर, Sirohi, and Udaipur. Zonal magistrates have been specifically deployed across all these districts to ensure that the voting process runs seamlessly without any administrative bottlenecks.
