# Rajasthan Urban Local Body Elections 2026: First Phase Voting Across 162 Civic Bodies on Sept 9 as CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Leads Campaign Drive

> Polling for the first phase of Rajasthan urban local body elections 2026 will take place on September 9 across 162 municipal bodies covering 5,425 wards. Polling parties have been dispatched under tight security, while strict dry day mandates and party disciplinary actions come into effect.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Rajasthan · **Published:** 2026-09-08 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/rajasthan/rajasthan-nikay-chunav-2026-first-phase-voting-sept-9-cm-bhajan-lal-sharma-campaign-bjp-action-29492 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Rajasthan Civic Elections 2026, Bhajan Lal Sharma, Jaipur Polling Booths, Pali Roadshow, Rajasthan Dry Day, BJP Rebel Action, EVM VVPAT Dispatch

The stage is fully set for the first phase of Rajasthan Urban Local Body Elections 2026, scheduled to take place on September 9 across 162 municipal bodies covering 5,425 wards. This critical phase encompasses 4 municipal corporations, 24 municipal councils, and 134 municipalities, with voters casting their ballots from 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM. District administrations across the state have initiated the systematic dispatch of polling parties equipped with EVM and VVPAT units. Concurrently, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma executed high-energy campaign drives in Pali and Kota, while the Bharatiya Janata Party enforced strict party discipline by expelling dozens of rebel candidates contesting against official nominees.

## CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Leads High-Octane Campaigning in Pali and Kota
In a major campaign push to bolster support for party candidates, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma undertook extensive visits to Pali and Kota on Tuesday. Upon landing by helicopter at the helipad of Smt. Guman Bai Pannalal Bhansali Government Girls College in Pali, he was formally received by BJP State President Madan Rathore, Cabinet Minister Joraram Kumawat, and Member of Parliament P.P. Chaudhary. The Chief Minister subsequently proceeded to Surajpole to kick off a grand roadshow after interacting with local candidates.

The election parade in Pali journeyed from Surajpole to the historic Somnath Temple, where Chief Minister Sharma offered prayers to Lord Mahadev. The roadshow traversed through major commercial hubs including Sarafa Bazar, Fatehpuriya Bazar, and Pani Darwaja before terminating at Sindhi Colony. Addressing a massive public gathering at Sindhi Colony, the Chief Minister urged residents to support development initiatives. He later chaired an organizational strategy meeting with local party functionaries at Sindhu Bhawan. Following the Pali events, Chief Minister Sharma traveled to Kota, where he addressed a public rally in Kaithunipol and spearheaded an hour-long roadshow across the Kaithunipol police station circle.

## Polling Party Dispatches and Security Plans in Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Banswara
Across Jaipur district, voting will take place in 18 urban local bodies comprising 2 municipal councils and 16 municipalities during the first phase on September 9. Polling parties equipped with election supplies were dispatched in two distinct shifts from Shri Bhawani Niketan College of Pharmacy on Sikar Road. Out of 565 designated polling stations in the district, administrators have identified 152 critical booths. Geographically, Chomu leads with 23 critical booths, followed by Shahpura with 20 and Chaksu with 13. Meanwhile, polling for the 150 wards under the main Jaipur Municipal Corporation will be conducted in the second phase on September 11.

In Bharatpur, final training sessions for election personnel were conducted at the Government Women's Polytechnic College ahead of voting across 65 wards. Out of 201 polling stations in Bharatpur, 50 have been designated as sensitive, prompting extra police deployments. Similarly, in Banswara, 99 polling booths have been set up for 60 municipal wards, with 25 sensitive booths receiving heightened security cover following final training sessions at the Haridev Joshi Rangmanch.

## Deployment Details Across Alwar, Tonk, Karauli, and Bundi
Administrative machinery in Alwar mobilized 249 polling teams for the city's civic election following specialized EVM-VVPAT training at the Government Babu Shobharam Arts College campus. Additional teams were dispatched from respective regional headquarters to cover Ramgarh (35 teams), Naugawa (20 teams), Malakheda (20 teams), and Bahadurpur (25 teams), alongside a 10 percent reserve contingency force.

In Tonk district, polling preparations were completed across 135 wards spread over 5 urban bodies, including Niwai (40 wards), Deoli (35 wards), and 20 wards each in Uniara, Dooni, and Peeplu. In Karauli district, 66 polling parties were deployed for the 55 wards of Karauli Municipal Council, alongside 20 teams each for Mandrayal and Sapotra municipalities from the Government College campus, under the supervision of ADM Jagdish Prasad and Returning Officer Rakesh Kumar Rawat. In Bundi city, Dei, Keshoraipatan, and Indragarh, election personnel and police staff also exercised their franchise via postal ballots ahead of polling day.

## Local Unrest in Amer, Campaign Interruption in Sridungargarh, and Deshnoke Seizure
The election atmosphere witnessed local tension in Amer, Jaipur, following the fatal stabbing of tourist guide Manish Soni. Outraged family members and residents staged a sit-in protest and enforced a complete market shutdown. To manage the volatile situation, police deployed heavy reinforcements and implemented traffic diversions around the area.

In Sridungargarh's Momasar Baas locality, a public interaction event held by BJP MLA Tarachand Saraswat experienced commotion. As the lawmaker outlined government achievements, local youths and residents raised sharp questions regarding unaddressed civic grievances. The dialogue escalated into arguments and anti-party slogans before police personnel intervened to restore calm.

Meanwhile, in Deshnoke, police seized a black Creta vehicle transporting illegal alcohol intended for distribution. Officers recovered 141 pouches of country liquor, 96 pouches of Indian Made Foreign Liquor, and 12 glass bottles of spirits. Search of the vehicle yielded official election documents and a party scarf belonging to Congress leader Omdan, whose wife is contesting as the Congress candidate from Ward 7. Deshnoke police have launched a formal investigation into the origin and destination of the contraband.

## BJP Expels 41 Rebels Statewide as Strict Dry Day Orders Take Effect
To enforce internal discipline, the Bharatiya Janata Party has cracked down on leaders contesting independently or opposing official candidates. The party announced the 6-year expulsion of 41 key office-bearers statewide, including 26 leaders from Jaipur alone. In Ajmer, 6 prominent figures were expelled, including independent candidate Hema Gehlot from Ward 4, her husband Dharmendra Gehlot (spouse of a former mayor), BJP Ajmer General Secretary Shankar Singh Rawat, former councillor Hemlata Bansal, former mandal president Prakash Bansal, and Renu Yadav.

Campaigning also concluded in Nathdwara (Rajsamand district), where 29,355 registered voters (15,244 male, 14,109 female, and 2 transgender voters in Ward 11) will elect representatives across 40 wards. Ward 2 stands as the largest constituency with 1,012 voters, while Ward 12 is the smallest with 406. To ensure peaceful proceedings across all 309 urban bodies involved in both election phases, the excise administration implemented dry day restrictions. Alcohol sales remain banned from 6:00 PM on September 7 to 6:00 PM on September 9 for Phase 1, followed by a second dry period from 6:00 PM on September 9 to 6:00 PM on September 11 for Phase 2, as well as a full dry day during vote counting on September 14.

## What this means for you
The upcoming municipal elections on September 9 across 162 urban local bodies in Rajasthan will directly affect local services, public movement, and commercial regulations.

- **Across India:** Urban local body elections govern civic infrastructure, sanitation budgets, and local development policies that set urban governance standards.
- **In Rajasthan:** A strict alcohol ban (Dry Day) remains in force from September 7 (6 PM) to September 9 (6 PM), closing all liquor shops, bars, and commercial outlets.
- **For Voters:** Polling booths will remain open from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM on September 9. Voters must carry valid government photo identification to their assigned polling center.
- **For Commuters:** Traffic diversions are active around VIP movement routes in Pali, Kota, and around protest spots like Amer in Jaipur. Commuters should plan alternative routes.
- **Public Safety:** Enhanced security forces at 152 critical booths and surrounding municipal areas will strictly enforce election law and public order.

## Why this happened
The escalation of election activities, security measures, and political movements stems directly from the scheduled first phase of urban body elections across 162 civic bodies on September 9.

- **Constitutional Mandate:** The expiration of municipal terms necessitated fresh elections organized by the Rajasthan Election Commission across 5,425 wards.
- **Security Precaution:** Authorities identified 152 critical polling booths to deploy extra security and prevent electoral violence or booth disruption.
- **Dry Day Enforcement:** Model code of conduct rules mandate a 48-hour ban on alcohol sales to stop voter bribery and prevent alcohol-fueled disturbances.
- **Party Expulsions:** The BJP expelled 41 leaders to uphold party discipline and counter rebel candidates contesting against officially endorsed candidates.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. When is the first phase of Rajasthan Urban Local Body Elections 2026 taking place?
Voting for the first phase takes place on September 9, 2026, from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM across 162 urban bodies covering 5,425 wards.

### 2. How many critical polling booths have been identified in Jaipur district?
Out of 565 total polling stations in Jaipur district, 152 have been classified as critical, with Chomu having the highest count of 23 critical booths.

### 3. What are the dry day restrictions during the election period?
Alcohol sales are prohibited from Sept 7 (6 PM) to Sept 9 (6 PM) for Phase 1, Sept 9 (6 PM) to Sept 11 (6 PM) for Phase 2, and all day on Sept 14 during vote counting.

### 4. Where did Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma conduct election roadshows?
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma led major political rallies and roadshows in Pali and Kota to campaign for BJP candidates.

### 5. How many rebel leaders were expelled by the BJP for anti-party activities?
The BJP expelled 41 leaders across Rajasthan for 6 years for contesting against official candidates, including 26 from Jaipur and 6 from Ajmer.

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