Voting Begins Across 27 Rajasthan Districts in Third Phase of Panchayat Elections Covering 116 Samitis Polling is underway across 116 panchayat samitis in 27 districts of Rajasthan for the third phase of local rural body elections. Over 1.06 crore registered voters are deciding the electoral fortunes of 9,094 candidates contesting district and block council seats. Electoral activity has begun across rural Rajasthan as citizens cast their ballots in the third phase of local self-government elections. On Tuesday, November 3, voting is taking place to elect members of zila parishads and panchayat samitis across 116 panchayat samitis spread over 27 districts. Polling stations opened their doors at 7 am and will remain open until 6 pm, accommodating a total electorate of 1,06,81,567 eligible citizens. Prior to polling day, election personnel completed their final instructional drills on Monday before deploying to their designated booths across the state. Extensive Administrative and Police Arrangements Civil administrators and law enforcement agencies have established detailed security arrangements to guarantee an orderly and incident-free polling process. This third electoral leg encompasses jurisdictions under 3,716 gram panchayats, serviced by 11,869 designated polling centers. A total of 9,094 candidates are competing across 377 zila parishad wards and 2,119 panchayat samiti wards. Broken down by tier, 1,305 nominees are in the fray for zila parishad berths, while 7,789 contestants are running for panchayat samiti seats. Voter Demographics and Grassroots Issues The registered electorate of 1,06,81,567 persons comprises 55,48,472 male voters, 51,33,051 female voters, and 44 third-gender voters. In rural constituencies, the key concerns influencing voting choices include rural road connectivity, reliable drinking water networks, local school infrastructure, rural healthcare clinics, and village civic amenities. With over 5.1 million women registered on the electoral rolls in this round, their active turnout represents a significant determining factor in rural seat dynamics. Voting Mechanisms and Sequential Polling Schedule Tuesday's polling for zila parishad and panchayat samiti ward representatives relies on electronic voting machines (EVMs), operating from 7 am until 6 pm. The election calendar subsequently shifts to village-level executive posts on November 5, when electors will choose sarpanches and ward panches via physical ballot papers. Counting for sarpanch and ward panch posts will take place at gram panchayat headquarters immediately after polling concludes on November 5. The election for up-sarpanch positions is scheduled for the following day, November 6. Alternative Identity Documents and Voter Assistance Voters who do not possess a standard voter identification card can still exercise their franchise by presenting any of the 11 alternative photo-identity credentials authorized by the Election Commission. Election desks have also been set up at voting centers to help citizens verify their presence on the electoral register and pinpoint their assigned room or booth without delays. Counting Schedule and Leadership Elections The votes recorded in EVMs for zila parishad and panchayat samiti ward seats will be officially counted on November 20 starting at 8 am. This timeline contrasts with the direct village elections for sarpanches and ward panches, whose counts and declarations will be finalized at gram panchayat centers on November 5 itself. The indirect elections for district leadership will follow later in the month, with the election of zila pramukhs slated for November 25 and the election of panchayat samiti pradhans scheduled for November 27. What this means for you This election directly determines the local leadership and funding distribution for village infrastructure across large swathes of rural Rajasthan. • In Rajasthan: Over 1.06 crore registered rural electors across 27 districts have the opportunity to vote between 7 am and 6 pm on Tuesday. Voters lacking a standard voter identity card can use any of the 11 alternative photo identity documents designated by the Election Commission to cast their ballot. • For rural infrastructure: Elected zila parishad and panchayat samiti members will oversee project clearances for local roads, drinking water, school facilities, and village health sub-centers. Their election will determine who manages grassroots administrative funds over the coming multi-year tenure. • For village voters on November 5: Electors in these gram panchayats will return to the polls on November 5 to cast physical paper ballots for sarpanch and ward panch positions. Results for those village-level leadership positions will be declared at the panchayat headquarters immediately upon completion of counting that same evening. • Outcome timelines: Official tabulations for EVM-based zila parishad and panchayat samiti seats will occur on November 20 beginning at 8 am. Indirect elections for district chiefs (zila pramukhs) and block heads (pradhans) will conclude on November 25 and November 27 respectively. Why this happened This electoral exercise is taking place to reconstitute rural local self-governing bodies across 27 districts in Rajasthan following the completion of statutory terms for panchayati raj institutions. • Statutory local governance mandate: Routine expiration of elected mandates across three tiers of rural governance necessitates fresh democratic elections. The current voting cycle ensures that village, block, and district councils receive legally elected leadership within constitutional timelines. • Phased administrative management: With 11,869 polling stations and more than 10.6 million eligible voters, organizing the election in separate phases allows police and administrative machinery to deploy resources efficiently. Final training and dispatch procedures were completed on Monday to enable synchronous polling operations starting at 7 am on Tuesday. • Dual voting system deployment: The Election Commission scheduled EVM-based balloting for multi-ward block and district council tiers on November 3, while allocating paper ballot operations for village head (sarpanch) and ward representative (panch) polls to November 5. Questions & Answers 1. How many districts are voting in the third phase of the Rajasthan panchayat elections? Voting is taking place across 116 panchayat samitis in 27 districts of Rajasthan. 2. What are the polling hours for the election on November 3? Voting started at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm. 3. How many candidates are contesting in this electoral phase? A total of 9,094 candidates are contesting, including 1,305 for zila parishad seats and 7,789 for panchayat samiti seats. 4. Can eligible citizens vote without a voter ID card? Yes, voters can establish their identity by presenting any one of the 11 alternative photo identification documents approved by the Election Commission. 5. When will voting take place for sarpanch and ward panch posts? Polling for sarpanch and ward panch positions will take place via paper ballots on November 5. 6. When will counting take place for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections? Counting for zila parishad and panchayat samiti members will begin at 8 am on November 20. 7. On which dates will zila pramukhs and pradhans be elected? The election of zila pramukhs will occur on November 25, followed by the election of panchayat samiti pradhans on November 27. https://trendkia.com/en/rajasthan/rajasthan-ke-27-jilon-men-panchayat-chunav-ke-tisare-charana-ki-votinga-116-panchayat-samitis-men-dale-ja-rahe-vota-55369 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.