Rajasthan Panchayat polls Phase 2: 64.32% turnout; Batadu tops at 78.30%
Synopsis
Rajasthan's second phase of Panchayati Raj elections drew 64.32% turnout by 6 pm, with Batadu in Barmer posting a standout 78.30% — while EVM glitches, a village boycott in Pali, and a locked polling gate in Bikaner added drama to an otherwise orderly day. Panchs and Sarpanch polls follow on Thursday.
Key Takeaways
The second phase of Rajasthan Panchayati Raj General Elections 2026 recorded 64.32% voter turnout by 6 pm on 28 October .
Batadu Panchayat Samiti , Barmer , led with the highest turnout at 78.30% ; Desuri Panchayat Samiti , Pali , recorded the lowest at 49.11% .
Polling covered 2,549 wards across 22 Zila Parishads and 124 Panchayat Samitis , with 8,404 candidates in the fray.
105 ballot units and 71 control units out of approximately 30,000 deployed machines reportedly malfunctioned temporarily.
Residents of Umkali village , Pali , boycotted polling demanding a separate Gram Panchayat; villagers in Bikaner's Bajju staged a sit-in over a locked polling station.
Elections for Panchs and Sarpanchs were scheduled for Thursday, 29 October .
The second phase of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj General Elections 2026 recorded a voter turnout of 64.32 per cent by 6 pm on Wednesday, 28 October, with Batadu Panchayat Samiti in Barmer district registering the highest participation at 78.30 per cent. Polling was held across 2,549 wards spanning 22 Zila Parishads and 124 Panchayat Samitis, with voting lines visible well past the official close at several stations — raising the prospect of a higher final tally.
Turnout Highs and Lows
Barmer district led overall participation with a combined turnout of 72.08 per cent across its seven Panchayat Samitis. Of the district's 3,53,235 eligible voters, 2,54,627 exercised their franchise. Batadu topped the district at 78.30 per cent, while Barmer Panchayat Samiti recorded the lowest within the district at 64.87 per cent.
At the other end of the spectrum, Desuri Panchayat Samiti in Pali district logged the lowest turnout statewide at 49.11 per cent. The second phase covered 352 Zila Parishad wards and 2,197 Panchayat Samiti wards, with 8,404 candidates contesting across these constituencies.
EVM Glitches and On-Ground Disruptions
Approximately 30,000 machines were deployed across 11,799 polling stations. Despite large-scale logistical preparation, technical hiccups were reported: 105 ballot units and 71 control units reportedly malfunctioned at various points during the day, temporarily disrupting voting before operations were restored.
In Bikaner's Ganpatsinghpura 4 MM area under Bajju, villagers staged a sit-in outside a polling station after finding its main gate locked. In Umkali village in the Rohat area of Pali district, residents boycotted polling altogether, demanding the creation of a separate Gram Panchayat — a recurring form of democratic protest seen in previous Rajasthan local-body elections as well.
Security and Administrative Oversight
Polling proceeded peacefully in the majority of locations under tight security arrangements. Officials and police personnel conducted regular rounds of polling stations to oversee logistics and maintain law and order. No major incidents of violence were reported.
What Comes Next
Elections for Panchs and Sarpanchs — the grassroots tier of rural governance — were scheduled for Thursday, 29 October, continuing Rajasthan's phased Panchayati Raj electoral calendar. The political fortunes of all 8,404 candidates from Wednesday's phase are now sealed in EVMs, awaiting the counting process.
Point of View
But the story beneath the headline is more nuanced. The boycott in Umkali and the sit-in at Bajju signal that local grievances — demand for separate panchayats, basic access issues at polling stations — remain unresolved and can suppress or disrupt participation. EVM malfunctions at 176 units out of 30,000 are statistically small, yet each instance in a tightly contested rural ward carries outsized consequence. The real test of Phase 2's outcome will come at counting: whether high-turnout areas like Batadu translate participation into governance accountability, or whether they merely reflect mobilisation by dominant local networks.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the voter turnout in Rajasthan Panchayat elections Phase 2?
The second phase of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj General Elections 2026 recorded a voter turnout of 64.32 per cent by 6 pm on 28 October. Voting continued beyond 6 pm at several stations, so the final figure could be higher.
Which Panchayat Samiti recorded the highest voter turnout in Phase 2?
Batadu Panchayat Samiti in Barmer district recorded the highest turnout at 78.30 per cent. Barmer district as a whole posted 72.08 per cent across its seven Panchayat Samitis.
Which area recorded the lowest turnout in Rajasthan Panchayat Phase 2?
Desuri Panchayat Samiti in Pali district recorded the lowest turnout at 49.11 per cent statewide. Within Barmer district, Barmer Panchayat Samiti had the lowest at 64.87 per cent.
Were there any disruptions during Rajasthan Panchayat polls Phase 2?
Yes, 105 ballot units and 71 control units reportedly malfunctioned during the day, temporarily disrupting polling at some stations before being restored. Villagers in Umkali, Pali, boycotted the election demanding a separate Gram Panchayat, and residents in Bikaner's Bajju staged a sit-in after finding their polling station gate locked.
What happens after Phase 2 of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj elections?
Elections for Panchs and Sarpanchs — the grassroots tier of rural governance — were scheduled for Thursday, 29 October, the day following Phase 2. The results for the 8,404 candidates who contested Phase 2 wards will be determined at the counting stage.
