Congress forms 9-member panel to probe cross-voting in Rajasthan civic polls
Synopsis
Congress lost civic body elections in Rajasthan even where it held councillor majorities — most glaring in Bikaner, where 41 Congress councillors faced down 27 BJP ones and still lost the deputy mayor vote 38-40. A nine-member panel under Dr C.P. Joshi now has seven days to name names, and the number of councillors potentially facing disciplinary action could run into the hundreds.
Key Takeaways
Congress has constituted a nine-member inquiry panel under former Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Dr C.P.
Joshi to probe cross-voting in urban local body elections.
The committee must submit its report within seven days .
In Bikaner , Congress held 41 councillors vs BJP's 27 , yet lost the deputy mayor election 38-40 , pointing to significant cross-voting.
Reports suggest hundreds of Congress councillors could face scrutiny, with disciplinary action preparations already underway.
In Bhilwara , 17 Congress candidates were barred from contesting on the party symbol after authority letters were not submitted on time; the Rajasthan High Court dismissed their petitions.
PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra has sought a State Election Commission inquiry into alleged administrative and police interference.
The Indian National Congress has constituted a nine-member inquiry committee to investigate allegations of cross-voting and organisational failures during Rajasthan's recent urban local body elections, the party announced on 3 October 2026 in Jaipur. The panel will scrutinise the party's setbacks across several civic bodies where Congress councillors allegedly voted against official party candidates.
Committee Composition and Mandate
The inquiry panel has been formed under the chairmanship of former Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Dr C.P. Joshi, a senior party figure. Its members include Ramsingh Kaswan, Murarilal Meena, Kuldeep Indora, Pramod Jain Bhaya, Shakuntala Rawat, Hakam Ali, Ganesh Ghoghra, and Raghuvir Singh Rathore.
The committee has been directed to submit its report within seven days. Its terms of reference include examining the circumstances surrounding electoral setbacks, evaluating floor management failures, and assessing the role of individual leaders and councillors.
Key Developments: Cross-Voting Allegations
The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) has collected district-level reports identifying councillors who allegedly defied the party whip during mayoral and chairperson elections. According to party sources, preparations for disciplinary action are already underway against those found responsible.
Reports suggest the number of Congress councillors under scrutiny could run into the hundreds, though the final figure will depend on individual case verification. The controversy intensified after Congress lost elections in multiple local bodies despite holding a numerical advantage in councillor strength.
The starkest example came from Bikaner, where Congress held 41 councillors against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) 27, yet a BJP candidate won the deputy mayor election by 40 votes to 38 — an outcome Congress leaders say could only be explained by internal cross-voting.
Multi-City Fallout: Ajmer, Kota, Pali and Bhilwara
The Congress leadership has separately reviewed the party's performance in municipal corporations in Ajmer, Kota, and Pali. In each instance, the party has alleged that councillors faced pressure, inducements, and external attempts to influence their votes during the post-election civic body formation process.
A parallel controversy has erupted in Bhilwara, where 17 Congress candidates were unable to contest using the party symbol after required authority letters were not submitted on time. The lapse triggered an internal dispute that escalated to the party's national leadership. The Rajasthan High Court subsequently dismissed petitions filed by affected candidates, leaving 53 Congress-authorised candidates in the field.
The Bhilwara episode was recently brought back into focus by a protest outside the district Congress office by PCC member Manoj Paliwal. Questions over responsibility have centred on senior local leaders Dhiraj Gurjar and Ramlal Jat.
PCC Chief Seeks Election Commission Inquiry
PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra has separately written to the State Election Commission, seeking a formal inquiry into alleged involvement of the administration and police in influencing the post-election process. The Congress has maintained that external pressure — not merely internal dissent — contributed to its losses.
Notably, this probe mirrors a pattern seen in other states where the Congress has sought internal accountability after civic body reverses, though outcomes of such committees have varied. With the seven-day deadline in place, the party's response to the inquiry findings — and whether it acts swiftly on disciplinary action — will be watched as a signal of organisational discipline ahead of future state contests.
Point of View
And no inquiry committee changes that structural reality overnight. The decision to form a panel is as much about managing internal optics ahead of future elections as it is about accountability; such committees in Congress's recent history have rarely produced swift, meaningful disciplinary outcomes. The Bhilwara fiasco — where 17 candidates missed a paperwork deadline and the fallout reached national leadership — points to an organisational machine with serious coordination failures at district level. Until the party addresses why councillors defect rather than simply punishing those who did, the cross-voting problem will resurface in the next round of civic elections.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Congress formed an inquiry committee in Rajasthan?
Congress has set up a nine-member committee to probe allegations of cross-voting and poor floor management during Rajasthan's recent urban local body elections, where the party lost civic body elections despite holding councillor majorities in several towns. The most cited example is Bikaner, where Congress's 41 councillors lost a deputy mayor vote 38-40 against a BJP with only 27 councillors.
Who is heading the Congress inquiry panel in Rajasthan?
The committee is chaired by former Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Dr C.P. Joshi. The eight other members include Ramsingh Kaswan, Murarilal Meena, Kuldeep Indora, Pramod Jain Bhaya, Shakuntala Rawat, Hakam Ali, Ganesh Ghoghra, and Raghuvir Singh Rathore.
What is the Bhilwara controversy involving Congress?
In Bhilwara, 17 Congress candidates were unable to contest with the party symbol because required authority letters were not submitted on time, triggering a major internal dispute that reached the party's national leadership. The Rajasthan High Court later dismissed petitions filed by the affected candidates, leaving 53 Congress-authorised candidates in the field.
How many Congress councillors could face disciplinary action?
Party sources indicate the number of councillors under scrutiny could run into the hundreds, though the final count will depend on the inquiry committee's findings and individual case verification. Preparations for disciplinary action are reportedly already underway.
What action has the PCC chief taken over alleged poll interference?
PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra has written to the State Election Commission seeking a formal inquiry into allegations that the administration and police attempted to influence the post-election civic body formation process. Congress has maintained that external pressure, alongside internal dissent, contributed to its losses.
