A total of 3,314 gram panchayats went to the polls to decide the fate of more than 16,500 candidates contesting for sarpanch posts. Elections were also held for 28,682 ward panch seats.Voting for the first phase of Rajasthan Panchayat body elections. (Photo-ITG)Jaipur,Oct 24, 2026 22:28 ISTThe first phase of panchayat elections across 16 districts in Rajasthan was held on Saturday, with a voter turnout of 80.09 per cent, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
Polling was largely peaceful, though minor clashes, protests and allegations of bogus voting were reported at some places.A total of 3,314 gram panchayats went to the polls to decide the fate of more than 16,500 candidates contesting for sarpanch posts. Elections were also held for 28,682 ward panch seats.Polling was held from 7 am to 6 pm, and the results were expected to be announced late on Saturday night, according to official data.Figures released by the State Election Commission showed that Mangta in Barmer district recorded the highest turnout at 91.42 per cent.
It was followed by Poogal in Bikaner at 90.55 per cent and Ramsar in Barmer at 90.03 per cent. Rani Station in Pali district recorded the lowest turnout at 56.82 per cent, followed by Kalandri in Sirohi at 57.31 per cent.In the Reni panchayat samiti area of Alwar, sarpanch candidate Rajendra Meena and his supporters staged a protest outside a polling station, alleging bogus voting and demanding fresh polling.
Police and administrative officials, including the tehsildar and zonal magistrate, reached the polling station to calm the situation, PTI reported.In Bikaner, police dispersed a crowd that had gathered at a polling station towards the end of voting in Ridhmelsar Purohitan gram panchayat. A minor clash between two groups was also reported from Mauzamabad in Jaipur district.In the Bhinder area of Udaipur, a sarpanch candidate was allegedly attacked, while residents of Dugariya village in Pali boycotted the election.
A protest over alleged bogus voting was also reported from Bhilwara district.The elections were held in Ajmer, Alwar, Barmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jhalawar, Jodhpur, Kota, Nagaur, Pali, Phalodi, Rajsamand, Sirohi and Udaipur districts. These are the same 16 districts where polling for zila parishad and panchayat samiti members was held on October 22.Barmer had the highest number of gram panchayats voting on Saturday at 419, followed by Bhilwara with 326, Phalodi with 305 and Udaipur with 284.Bhilwara had the highest number of sarpanch candidates at 2,097, followed by Dungarpur with 1,594, Jaipur with 1,525 and Udaipur with 1,480.Unlike zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections, panch and sarpanch polls are not contested on political party symbols.
The State Election Commission allots symbols to candidates, though political parties mostly support nominees.Rajasthan's Panchayati Raj elections are being conducted in four phases for 41 zila parishads, 457 panchayat samitis and 14,403 gram panchayats. The first phase covered 3,314 gram panchayats across 16 districts and recorded an overall turnout of 80.09 per cent.- Ends