Ashok Gehlot raises alarm over Rajasthan civic poll conduct, blames BJP machinery
Synopsis
Ashok Gehlot's broadside against the BJP over Rajasthan's Urban Local Body polls is more than post-election noise — it's a strategic Congress move to frame state-machinery misuse as the defining issue before Panchayat elections, backed by the rare detail of a High Court holding late-night hearings on poll-related petitions.
Key Takeaways
Ashok Gehlot on 21 September 2026 alleged the BJP government misused administrative and police machinery in Rajasthan's Urban Local Body elections.
He claimed Congress councillors faced police summons and notices, while individual councillors were offered inducements.
Police personnel from neighbouring states were allegedly deployed during the election period.
The Rajasthan High Court was reportedly forced to hold late-night hearings on election-related petitions.
Gehlot warned the conduct could set a precedent for the upcoming Panchayat elections and urged CM Bhajanlal Sharma to ensure fair future polls.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on 21 September 2026 raised sharp concerns over the conduct of the recently concluded Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in Rajasthan, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government deployed administrative and police machinery to consolidate control over municipal boards. The statement marks the Congress's first major offensive ahead of the state's upcoming Panchayat elections.
Key Allegations
Gehlot alleged that the ruling party went well beyond accepted democratic norms in its bid to form boards. He claimed that individual councillors were offered inducements, while Congress councillors were subjected to police summons, notices, and other forms of coercion. He further alleged that police personnel from neighbouring states were present during the election period — an unusual deployment that, he argued, signalled orchestrated pressure.
Judicial Intervention and Institutional Concerns
The former Chief Minister pointed to the Rajasthan High Court being compelled to hold late-night hearings on petitions related to the polls as evidence of the gravity of the situation. He contended that bureaucrats and police officers, who are constitutionally obligated to remain neutral, appeared to have acted in ways that favoured the ruling party. Gehlot warned that the use of money and official machinery risked eroding public trust in democratic institutions.
Warning Ahead of Panchayat Polls
Gehlot cautioned that such practices, if left unaddressed, could set a dangerous precedent for the Panchayat elections due next. He urged Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to ensure that future elections are conducted in a manner that reinforces confidence in democratic processes. He added that accountability for actions undermining democratic norms would eventually be sought.
Political Context
The remarks come as civic poll results continue to fuel political debate across Rajasthan. The Congress's decision to amplify Gehlot's statement suggests the party intends to frame the ULB poll conduct as a central campaign issue heading into the Panchayat elections. This is not the first time opposition parties in Rajasthan have alleged misuse of state machinery during local body polls — similar charges were traded during the BJP's tenure in previous cycles as well, reflecting a recurring pattern in the state's electoral politics.
Point of View
Which itself is telling. More importantly, Rajasthan's Panchayat elections will test whether these charges gain traction among voters or dissipate as routine political noise. The Congress's ability to convert institutional grievances into ground-level mobilisation has been inconsistent in the state since its 2023 assembly defeat.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Ashok Gehlot allege about the Rajasthan Urban Local Body elections?
Gehlot alleged that the BJP government used administrative and police machinery to secure control of municipal boards, that Congress councillors faced police summons and inducements were offered to individual councillors, and that police from neighbouring states were present during the election period.
Why did the Rajasthan High Court hold late-night hearings on the civic polls?
According to Gehlot, the High Court was compelled to hold late-night hearings to address petitions related to the Urban Local Body elections, which he cited as evidence of the seriousness of irregularities during the polls. The specifics of those petitions have not been detailed in the statement.
How does this affect the upcoming Panchayat elections in Rajasthan?
Gehlot warned that the conduct during the ULB elections could set a precedent for the Panchayat elections. The Congress appears to be building a campaign narrative around alleged state-machinery misuse ahead of the next round of polls.
What did Gehlot urge Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to do?
Gehlot urged Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to ensure that future elections are conducted in a manner that strengthens public confidence in democratic processes, and warned that accountability for actions undermining democratic norms would eventually be sought.
Is this the first time such allegations have been made in Rajasthan local body elections?
Similar allegations of state-machinery misuse during local body polls have been made by opposition parties in previous electoral cycles in Rajasthan as well, reflecting a recurring pattern of post-election political contestation in the state.
