The election for the posts of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Khatushyamji Municipality in Sikar district, Rajasthan, was postponed on 22 September 2026 after a late-night dispute over the absence of Congress councillor Lakshmi Devi brought the polling process to a standstill. Returning Officer Kapil Upadhyay announced the postponement following directions from the State Election Commission, with the new election date to be communicated through further orders.

How the Dispute Unfolded

Lakshmi Devi, the Congress councillor from Ward 10, did not appear at the polling venue on Monday, triggering a cascading sequence of deadline extensions. The voting deadline was pushed back multiple times through the night, with the final extension reported at around 11:30 pm. Voting records were ultimately sealed after midnight when the situation remained unresolved.

A complaint was lodged with the police over allegations concerning Lakshmi Devi's whereabouts, reportedly raised by her family and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters. These allegations have not been established as fact. BJP leaders and supporters staged a sit-in outside the municipality building, demanding that the councillor be permitted to cast her vote.

The Political Arithmetic Behind the Standoff

The dispute carries high stakes because of the Khatushyamji Municipality's closely divided composition. The 20-member body has eight BJP councillors and eight Congress councillors, alongside three Independents and one Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) councillor. A majority requires 11 votes, making every single councillor's vote potentially decisive.

Reports indicate that Lakshmi Devi is a relative of Prem Devi, the BJP's candidate for the Chairman's post, adding a personal dimension to the political standoff. Her election records show she won Ward 10 with 172 votes, defeating BJP's Mamta Devi by a margin of 37 votes.

Congress Objects, BJP Alleges Sabotage

Congress leaders pushed back against the repeated deadline extensions. Congress MLA Virendra Singh, district president Sunita Githala, and former Pradhan Bhanwarlal Verma reportedly approached the District Collector to formally object to the extensions. BJP leaders, in turn, alleged that Congress had deliberately kept its own councillor away from the venue to stall the election.

Notably, the competing allegations — BJP accusing Congress of orchestrating the absence, and Lakshmi Devi's family levelling separate allegations against Congress — created a contradictory and unresolved narrative that complicated any immediate resolution.

What Happens Next

Following the conclusion of protests, supporters of both parties left the municipality premises after submitting memorandums to election authorities. Voting records were secured and sealed in the presence of representatives from both sides. BJP leaders also reached out to senior state-level officials to brief them on the night's developments.

The election for both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman posts now awaits fresh directions from the State Election Commission. The final outcome — and whether BJP's Prem Devi or Congress's Vinita Poonia heads the municipality — remains uncertain until a new date is announced.