Jaipur: One election personnel died of suspected heart attack while on duty during the 4th and final phase of Rajasthan’s Panchayati Raj elections Saturday, as polling across 25 districts recorded 71% turnout by 6 pm. Officials said Banswara’s Chhoti Sarwa panchayat samiti logged the highest participation at 89%.
Voters at a polling station in Nayla area in Jaipur
4th and final phase of Rajasthan’s Panchayati Raj elections Saturday, as polling across 25 districts recorded 71% turnout by 6 pm. Officials said Banswara’s Chhoti Sarwa panchayat samiti logged the highest participation at 89%.
In Bundi district, a 27-year-old physical education trainer (PET), formerly called PTI, died under mysterious circumstances while on election duty at Khiniya polling booth under Basoli police station in Hindoli Panchayat Samiti of Bundi Saturday. The deceased was identified as Bablu Lal Gochar (27) of Nandgaon village in Bundi district, who was serving as a polling officer and posted at govt school in Khedi in Dei area.
Voters at a polling station in Nayla area in Jaipur
Polling was disrupted in several areas due to technical issues and protests that led to boycotts. In Jaisalmer’s Randha Gram Panchayat, villagers boycotted voting at two booths to protest the allotment of around 2,000 bighas of land to a private company for a solar power plant. Voting resumed after intervention by the Fatehgarh tehsildar, who persuaded residents to participate.In Baran district, residents of Moondkya and Moondki villages in the Chhabra area boycotted polling, demanding a fresh survey of villages affected by the Andheri irrigation project and inclusion of both villages in the project’s submergence area. Villagers had submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional officer a day earlier, alleging their concerns were not addressed. Poll officials attempted to convince them to vote.In Bhojraj ki Dhani Gram Panchayat, residents refused to vote at a booth over reservation of the seat for the OBC category. The booth, with over 800 eligible voters, recorded no voting, and no candidate filed a nomination for the Panchayat Samiti member seat from the area.In Tonk, polling at two booths in Turkiya Gram Panchayat was extended until 10 pm after an EVM malfunction delayed the start of voting until 10 am. Voting was briefly halted at one booth each in Nagaur and Sawai Madhopur due to EVM problems.
