Congress wins Khatushyamji Municipality board by one vote; Vinita Poonia elected chairperson
Synopsis
In one of Rajasthan's closest local-body contests, Congress's Vinita Poonia clinched the Khatushyamji Municipality chairperson post by a single vote — 10 to 9 — after the Rajasthan High Court stepped in to cancel a scheduled re-poll and ordered the original 21 September ballots counted. A missing Congress councillor and a BJP candidate absent from the strongroom made an already charged contest even more dramatic.
Key Takeaways
Vinita Poonia (Congress) elected Chairperson of Khatushyamji Municipality , Sikar district , on 26 September 2026 .
Poonia won by one vote — securing 10 votes against BJP's Prem Devi's 9 in a 19-vote count.
The Rajasthan High Court on 24 September cancelled a scheduled re-poll and ordered the original ballots counted.
The 20-member board comprises 8 BJP , 8 Congress , 3 independents , and 1 RLP councillor.
Congress councillor Lakshmi (Ward 10) did not vote; police located her after a complaint by her husband Harlal .
Congress candidate Vinita Poonia was elected Chairperson of the Khatushyamji Municipality in Sikar district, Rajasthan, on 26 September 2026, winning by a razor-thin margin of just one vote after the Rajasthan High Court intervened to order a count of ballots cast on 21 September. The result ended a protracted electoral dispute that had required judicial direction at two separate stages.
How the Counting Unfolded
The ballot box containing 19 votes — sealed and placed in safe custody since 21 September — was retrieved from the strongroom and brought to the municipal office on Saturday morning in the presence of Returning Officer Kapil Upadhyay, ASP Deepak Garg, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Jangid, among other officials. Counting began at 10 a.m., with tight security in place throughout the process.
Poonia, a councillor from Ward 11, secured 10 votes against 9 votes for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Prem Devi. BJP's Prem Devi was notably absent from the strongroom during the retrieval. Congress supporters broke into celebration once the result was declared.
The Court Order That Decided the Outcome
The election's final chapter was written in court. Poonia had approached the Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court, which on 24 September cancelled the re-polling that had been scheduled for 25 September and directed authorities to count the 19 votes already cast and declare the result accordingly. The Returning Officer conducted the count in compliance with those directions.
Board Composition and the Missing Vote
The Khatushyamji Municipality has a 20-member board comprising 8 BJP councillors, 8 Congress councillors, three independents, and one Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) councillor. Of the 20 councillors eligible to vote in the Chairperson election on 21 September, only 19 cast ballots. Lakshmi, the Congress councillor from Ward 10, did not turn up to vote. Police had subsequently located Lakshmi following a complaint filed by her husband, Harlal. Her absence proved inconsequential to the final margin, though it had added a layer of drama to an already contested contest.
What the Result Means
With the Chairperson's post now secured, Congress effectively controls the board despite holding an equal number of elected councillors as the BJP. The result underscores how independent and RLP votes — and individual absences — can be decisive in tightly contested municipal elections. This is among the narrowest municipal chairperson victories recorded in Rajasthan in recent memory, and the judicial intervention sets a notable precedent for disputed local-body elections in the state.
Point of View
It took three independents, one RLP member, a missing Congress voter, and ultimately a High Court order to deliver a one-vote win — hardly a mandate. What the case does illustrate sharply is the rising role of the judiciary in resolving local-body election disputes in Rajasthan, a trend that warrants scrutiny: when re-polls can be cancelled mid-process by court order on a candidate's petition, the line between judicial oversight and political strategy becomes dangerously blurred. Municipal democracy functions best when results emerge from the polling booth, not the courtroom.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Khatushyamji Municipality chairperson election?
Congress candidate Vinita Poonia won the Khatushyamji Municipality chairperson election on 26 September 2026, securing 10 out of 19 votes cast to defeat BJP's Prem Devi by a single vote. Poonia is a councillor from Ward 11 of the municipality.
Why was the Rajasthan High Court involved in the Khatushyamji election?
Poonia had approached the Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court after a re-poll was scheduled for 25 September. The court cancelled the re-poll on 24 September and directed authorities to count the 19 votes already cast on 21 September and declare the result.
What is the composition of the Khatushyamji Municipality board?
The 20-member board comprises 8 BJP councillors, 8 Congress councillors, 3 independents, and 1 Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) councillor. Despite an equal number of elected councillors for both main parties, Congress secured the chairperson post with the support of other board members.
Why did only 19 out of 20 councillors vote?
Congress councillor Lakshmi from Ward 10 did not turn up to vote on 21 September. Police later located her following a complaint filed by her husband, Harlal, though her absence did not affect the final outcome given the one-vote margin in Poonia's favour.
What happens after Vinita Poonia is elected chairperson?
With Poonia's election declared, the Khatushyamji Municipality now has a Congress-led chairperson heading a mixed board. The result is final following the High Court-directed count, bringing the contested election process to a close.
