Jaipur, Nov 3 Voting for the third phase of panchayat elections in Rajasthan’s 27 districts concluded on Tuesday amid a few incidents of clashes and boycotts of polling.
A voter turnout of 68.39 per cent was recorded till 6 pm in this phase, according to polling figures.
Clashes broke out between supporters of Congress and BJP candidates in Makrana panchayat samiti of Deedwana-Kuchaman district over allegations of bogus voting, with both sides attacking each other with sticks.
In Dausa, Hargovind Gurjar (65) fell ill while standing in a queue to vote at Palawas gram panchayat and was declared dead at a hospital. In Beawar, Puni Devi (70) died shortly after casting her vote at a polling booth in Rudhana gram panchayat, with a suspected heart attack being the cause.
Villagers boycotted polling over delimitation issues in three villages of Dausa: Nagla Singhada in Bharatpur, Nagla Kishore Singh in Deeg and Darapura in Deedwana-Kuchaman. Residents of Kachiyathana village in Baran district’s Shahbad subdivision also boycotted voting, demanding basic amenities.
Around 1.07 crore voters were eligible to elect members of zila parishads and panchayat samitis in the polling held for the third phase of Rajasthan’s Panchayati Raj elections.
Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm at 11,869 polling stations across 116 panchayat samitis.
Till 6 pm, Naharpura Panchayat Samiti of Banswara district reported the highest — 82.71 per cent — voter turnout, whereas Dausa panchayat samiti in Dausa district recorded the lowest at 49.90 per cent.
According to the State Election Commission, arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polling.
The elections are being held in four phases under a revised schedule.
In the first phase on October 22, polling was held in 104 panchayat samitis for 293 zila parishad wards and 1,788 panchayat samiti wards. More than 85 lakh voters were eligible to vote.
The second phase was held on October 28 in 124 panchayat samitis for 352 zila parishad wards and 2,197 panchayat samiti wards.
Elections for panch and sarpanch posts in areas covered by the third phase will be held on November 5, followed by the election of up-sarpanch on November 6.
The fourth and final phase of zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections is scheduled for November 14, while voting for panch and sarpanch posts will take place on November 16.
Counting of votes for zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections across all four phases will be held on November 20.
Elections for zila pramukhs and up-zila pramukhs are scheduled for November 25 and 26, respectively, while panchayat samiti pradhans and up-pradhans will be elected on November 27 and 28.
(PTI News)
