Polling for the third phase of the Rajasthan Panchayat elections 2026 took place on Thursday across gram panchayats in 27 districts, deciding the fate of candidates running for sarpanch and ward panch positions. Voting was conducted in 3716 gram panchayats across the state, covering 3716 sarpanch seats and 34218 ward panch seats. A total of 11869 polling booths were established throughout the region to facilitate the exercise. As the voting process concluded in the evening, vote counting began at various centers and election results trickled in late into the night. While supporters celebrated victories in several villages, the outcome elsewhere triggered intense friction, ranging from post-poll rivalries and allegations of bogus voting to violent clashes that severely disrupted the local atmosphere.
Unrest and Police Action in Jalor, Dausa, Tonk and Jhunjhunu
Districts including Jalor, Dausa, Tonk, and Jhunjhunu reported severe disruptions, physical altercations, and police interventions in the wake of the elections. Tensions persisted deep into the night across multiple villages, forcing the police and district administration to step in and restore order. In Gugalgota village under the Neemrana region of Kotputli-Bahror district, major chaos erupted immediately after the completion of the sarpanch vote counting. Supporters disgruntled by electoral defeat were accused of vandalism and physically manhandling police personnel on duty. Confronted with escalating hostility, law enforcement authorities intervened decisively, resorting to a lathi-charge to disperse the unruly crowd and clear the area. The situation was brought under control following the police crackdown, and roughly a dozen individuals were taken into custody. The post-counting uproar left the village shrouded in palpable tension.
Confrontations and Clashes Erupt in Dausa
Similar disputes surfaced across various parts of Dausa district during the panchayat polls. In the Brahmana Bairada panchayat of Sikandra, a sarpanch candidate became the target of a physical assault. According to complaints, unidentified assailants armed with sticks and iron rods attacked the candidate and completely smashed the windows of their vehicle. The candidate sustained injuries in the attack and was rescued only after bystanders intervened. Police stated that information regarding the incident was received prior to the commencement of voting, though the victimized candidate had not filed a formal written complaint. Another confrontation broke out at the Nandari polling booth in Dausa, where a dispute originating inside the voting enclosure swiftly escalated into a full-scale clash. Police deployed mild force to disperse the gathered mob, only for both factions to square off again outside the booth premises. SP Kundan Kanwariya and Collector Soumya Jha closely monitored the unfolding events, while additional police reinforcements were rushed in from neighboring areas.
Tragic Fatality in Jhunjhunu Over Electoral Feud
The most severe incident unfolded in Delsar Kalan village within the Nawalgarh region of Jhunjhunu district, where long-standing electoral animosity culminated in a fatal clash. The dispute stemmed from campaigning tensions surrounding the Togda Kalan gram panchayat elections that had flared up on the preceding Wednesday. Reports indicated that a collision involving camper vehicles brought rival factions face-to-face, igniting a violent brawl involving clubs, sticks, and stone-pelting. The altercation left three people injured, one of whom succumbed to his injuries. The deceased youth hailed from Punjab's Hoshiarpur district, and his body was placed in the mortuary of the Jhunjhunu district hospital, while the injured were rushed to the Nawalgarh hospital. Police arrived promptly upon receiving word of the violence and managed the crisis, seizing several vehicles and detaining multiple suspects for questioning. Mukundgarh Station House Officer Gopal Singh confirmed that individuals from both sides sustained injuries and noted that an investigation remains underway.
Allegations of Fake Voting Spark Chaos in Jalor
In Chitalwana, Jalor district, villagers raised a massive uproar over widespread allegations of bogus voting during the sarpanch elections. Claiming that fraudulent votes were being cast on a large scale, protesting residents forced the voting process to grind to a halt. When police arrived at the scene to manage the restive crowd, friction between locals and law enforcement intensified sharply. Protesters accused the police of arbitrarily resorting to a lathi-charge and acting in a partisan manner, alleging collusion between authorities and perpetrators of the fake voting. The baton charge further fueled public anger, during which the windshield of Additional SP Awardan Charan's vehicle was reportedly smashed, drawing intense scrutiny toward the local administration's handling of the situation.
Protests Disrupt Polling Across Other Areas
Bogus voting allegations similarly prompted villagers in Jhab, also in Jalor district, to halt the voting process temporarily. Administrative officials intervened following the protests to pacify the residents, after which polling was successfully resumed. Police detained several youths in connection with the incident. A comparable protest erupted in Kureda gram panchayat of Tonk over suspected fraudulent ballots, though police neutralized the situation by apprehending a youth on the spot, allowing voting to proceed peacefully thereafter. Thus, while the third phase of the Rajasthan panchayat elections brought moments of triumph and celebration to many villages, persistent political rivalries and allegations of vote manipulation cast a dark shadow over law enforcement, keeping administrative and police teams on high alert in sensitive zones throughout the night.
