Jaisalmer district recorded the highest polling at 76.57%, whereas Pali had the lowest turnout at 60.71%.
A polling rate of 68.24% was recorded by 5 pm in the 199 assembly constituencies of Rajasthan.
Jaisalmer district led with the highest polling at 76.57%, followed by Dholpur (74.11%), Jhalwar (73.37%), Pratapgarh (73.36%), and Baran (73.12%). On the other hand, Pali (60.71%), Sirohi (63.62%), Jalore (64.10%), Jodhpur (64.32%), and Udaipur (64.98%) recorded the lowest polling percentages.
Alwar’s Tijara witnessed the highest turnout at approximately 80.85%, while the lowest was observed in Pali’s Sumerpur with 57.81%. The final turnout report is pending until polling concludes at 6 pm.
The election is taking place in 199 out of 200 constituencies in the state. The polling in one constituency, Karanpur in Sriganganagar, has been adjourned due to the unfortunate demise of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar, who was also the incumbent MLA from the seat.
The voter turnout for the state in the 2018 assembly elections was 74.72%.
The state, hosting 51,756 polling stations, has approximately 52,538,659 voters, including 27,358,965 men and 25,179,694 women. The Election Commission reports that 61,021 elderly and specially-abled individuals have already exercised their voting rights through home voting, marking the state’s inaugural implementation of such a facility.
Polling remained predominantly peaceful in Rajasthan, with only a few isolated incidents. In Bikaner, Sikar, and Dholpur, around 40 individuals were detained by the police for disrupting peace and harmony in the polling areas.
In the morning, Bikaner police detained 26 individuals for their suspicious movement and seized five cars owned by them. The restriction on outsiders’ movements within a specific constituency 48 hours prior to polling was violated by these individuals, who were identified as being from Haryana and other states. Superintendent of Police Tejaswani Gautam stated that they were moving around in the Kolayat area during the polling process, and further investigation is ongoing.
A verbal clash between two groups escalated into a severe stone-pelting incident in Sikar’s Fatehpur. Sikar SP Deshmukh Paris stated, “We detained approximately 7 individuals from the scene. Stringent action will be taken against them for disrupting the peace on polling day. Additional security forces have been deployed in the area to ensure the safety of voters who are yet to cast their votes at the booths.”
In Dholpur’s Rajai Kalan, two groups of local residents reportedly engaged in gunfire within a 150-meter radius of a polling booth. Subsequently, the police detained seven individuals. Dholpur SP Manoj Kumar mentioned, “The clash between two local groups originated from a murder incident that occurred seven years ago. Both groups attributed responsibility to each other. However, we are investigating the specific factors that led to the incident this morning.”
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Advocate Ravindra Meena in Karauli filed a complaint with the collector and police superintendent, alleging a fatal attack on one of his aides en route to a booth this morning. Karauli SP Mamata Gupta stated, “The additional SP and the collector arrived at the scene to verify the facts, after which a case can be registered.”
In Sikar’s Fatehpur, independent candidate S P Singh was reportedly assaulted while en route to his constituency by car. Additionally, a polling agent in Churu claimed to have been assaulted by four to five individuals, resulting in minor injuries.
Allegations arose in two polling booths, one in Alwar’s Tijara and the other in Sirohi’s Pindwara, with voters accusing the polling staff of purportedly pressuring them to vote for a specific political party. As of now, the administration has not confirmed these incidents.
Technical malfunctions in the electronic voting machine (EVM) were reported in several locations, including Sumerpur, Pratapnagar, Pokharan, Sirohi, Nadbai, and Jhalawar, causing morning delays in the voting process.
In around six polling booths situated in Pipalda, Ladpura, Sadulpur, Kolukhera, Ahore, and Uchchera, voters chose to boycott voting due to administrative neglect of longstanding issues such as water shortage, absence of a railway overbridge, and amalgamation with an old panchayat.
Shantilal Rajpurohit (65), a polling agent from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a booth in Pali’s Sumerpur constituency, passed away due to a sudden cardiac arrest. Additionally, Trilok Chand Nahar, an 81-year-old voter in Pushkar, succumbed just moments after casting his vote.
On Saturday, polling took place from 7 am to 6 pm under stringent security measures, as stated by Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta.
Around 10 am, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, accompanied by his family, cast his vote in Jodhpur. Prior to voting, he visited his ancestral house in Jodhpur’s Mahamandir lane and walked to the polling booth alongside local residents.
Appealing to the public to maximize their voting participation, he stated to reporters, “The wind is in Congress’s favor. I assure you that our party will secure another term. Our commitment is valid only in elections; (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi’s schemes have witnessed significant failures. The BJP will fade away after today.”
Following her vote cast in Jhalrapatan, former Chief Minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje urged, “I appeal to everyone, especially the new voters, to exercise their right to vote. It is your responsibility towards the country.”
Congress candidate from Tonk and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot cast his vote in Jaipur’s Civil Lines area, urging everyone to participate in the voting process.
Simultaneously, Union Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed confidence in the BJP’s victory after casting his vote in Jodhpur. He stated, “The BJP will secure power with a decisive majority. People desire change this time after enduring the challenges under Congress rule in the last five years, marked by deteriorating law and order, and a surge in crime and corruption.”
Following his vote cast in Jaipur, CEO Gupta appealed to the public to ensure a peaceful polling process and maximize their participation in voting. He stated, “People are voting with a renewed wisdom this time. From youth to women and the elderly, everyone is actively participating in this festival of democracy. While a few EVM malfunctions have been reported in some places, we are promptly replacing the machines.”
Expressing his preference, 88-year-old voter Radhakishan Gupta in Jaipur’s C-Scheme area stated, “I like to come and vote from the booths in the morning, which is why I didn’t opt to vote from home. I will cast my vote for a party that may ensure development in my area.”
Meanwhile, 95-year-old Vimla Devi, a resident of the walled city, mentioned, “I have voted based on the work done.” Standing alongside her, two sisters, Muskan and Anjali Meena, first-time voters, conveyed that they voted based on development work.
“I was eager to cast my vote since morning. Seeing the long queues, I returned home twice, but now I am standing with my mother to cast our votes,” said 21-year-old Muskaan.
As part of a new initiative by the Ajmer district administration called Green Booth, the first five voters at every booth planted a tree on the premises of the polling stations.
The results of the assembly elections in five states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram – will be declared on December 3.
