Daijiworld Media Network – Jaipur
Jaipur, Sep 11: Voting for the second phase of Rajasthan’s urban local body elections is underway on Friday, with more than 87 lakh voters eligible to cast their ballots across 147 urban local bodies.
Polling is being held in six municipal corporations, 24 municipal councils and 117 municipalities and will continue until 6 pm. A total of 18,266 candidates are contesting in the second phase, according to State Election Commission data.
As many as 87,60,884 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 9,758 polling booths covering 4,774 wards.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat cast his vote along with his family in the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation election.
The six municipal corporations going to polls in this phase are Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali. Jaipur Municipal Corporation, with 150 wards, is the largest civic body in this phase, with 24.33 lakh eligible voters, 2,256 polling booths and 723 candidates in the fray.
Former Rajasthan minister and BJP leader Anita Bhadel was among the early voters in Ajmer. After casting her vote, the Ajmer South MLA expressed confidence that the BJP would perform well in the elections.
A minor dispute was reported in Jaipur soon after polling began at a station in Ward 114, where supporters of an independent candidate objected to the presence of a Congress candidate inside the polling station. Police reached the spot and intervened.
In Jhunjhunu district, an independent candidate was allegedly attacked ahead of polling in Chidawa municipality. The candidate, Ashok Sharma, alleged that three motorcycle-borne men assaulted him, leaving him injured on the head.
Jodhpur Municipal Corporation has 100 wards and 7.12 lakh voters, while Kota Municipal Corporation has 100 wards and 8.26 lakh voters. Ajmer Municipal Corporation has 80 wards and 4.38 lakh voters, while Udaipur has 80 wards and 4.16 lakh voters. Pali Municipal Corporation has 65 wards and 1.81 lakh voters.
The first phase of polling was held in 162 urban local bodies on September 9, recording a voter turnout of 76.41 per cent.
Elections to Rajasthan’s 309 urban local bodies are being conducted in two phases, covering 10 municipal corporations, 51 municipal councils and 248 municipalities. Counting of votes for councillor posts in both phases will take place on September 14 from 8 am.
The mayors and chairpersons will be elected on September 21, followed by the election of deputy mayors, deputy chairpersons and municipal vice-presidents on September 22.