Rajasthan panchayat elections 2026: Voting begins in 3,314 Gram Panchayats
Synopsis
Rajasthan's panchayat elections kicked off on 24 October with a striking change: ballot papers are back, replacing EVMs across 3,314 Gram Panchayats. With roughly 25,000 candidates vying for Sarpanch posts and results expected the same night, the grassroots democratic exercise is one of the largest single-day panchayat polls the state has seen — and a quiet test of paper-based voting's viability at scale.
Key Takeaways
Phase 1 of Rajasthan panchayat elections began on 24 October 2026 across 3,314 Gram Panchayats .
Approximately 25,000 candidates are contesting for Sarpanch posts; voting runs from 7 am to 6 pm .
Ballot papers have replaced EVMs for this election cycle.
Jaipur district has 212 panchayats going to the polls, with 1,525 Sarpanch candidates and no unopposed returns.
Kota district is voting for 162 Sarpanch posts and 1,441 Ward Panch positions ; Ajmer has 4,05,041 eligible voters across 122 panchayats .
Results are expected by Saturday night ; Deputy Sarpanch elections follow on Sunday .
The first phase of Rajasthan panchayat elections 2026 got underway across the state on Saturday, 24 October, with polling for Sarpanch and Ward Panch posts commencing at 7 am and scheduled to run until 6 pm. Elections are being conducted across 3,314 Gram Panchayats, with approximately 25,000 candidates contesting for the Sarpanch post alone.
Key Features of This Phase
In a notable departure from recent practice, voting is being carried out using ballot papers rather than Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Each voter will cast two votes — one for the Sarpanch and one for the Ward Panch. Counting is set to begin immediately after polling closes, with results expected to be declared by Saturday night. On Sunday, elected Ward Panchs will vote to select their respective Deputy Sarpanchs, formally concluding the first phase.
District-wise Polling Snapshot
In Jaipur district, polling is underway across 212 Gram Panchayats for Sarpanch posts, with 1,525 candidates in the fray. No candidate has been elected unopposed in any of these panchayats, ensuring direct electoral contests across all 212 seats. The Chomu Panchayat Samiti has the highest concentration of candidates — 301 people contesting across 34 Gram Panchayats.
In Kota district, polling is underway for 162 Sarpanch posts and 1,441 Ward Panch positions under stringent security arrangements. Elections were originally scheduled in 163 Gram Panchayats, but the number was reduced after candidates in Girdharpura Gram Panchayat were returned unopposed. A total of 1,129 candidates are contesting the Sarpanch posts in Kota.
In Ajmer district, polling is underway in 122 Gram Panchayats across six Panchayat Samitis. A total of 4,05,041 voters are eligible to decide the fate of 804 candidates. Among the Samitis, Srinagar Panchayat Samiti has the highest voter count at 1,01,076, while the voter tallies for others stand at Pisangan — 94,593, Kekri — 73,506, Sawar — 55,018, and Sarwar — 75,751.
Unopposed Winners and Notable Outcomes
In Sampla Gram Panchayat under Sarwar Panchayat Samiti, Arjun Singh Rathore has been declared Sarpanch unopposed. All Ward Panch candidates in the panchayat have also been elected without contest, including Kailash Regar, Kavita Balai, Banna Lal Gurjar, Akila Bano, Sonu Teli, Hanuman, Rekha, Om Prakash, Rameshwar, Maya Jat, and Gopal Lal Jat.
In Shergarh Gram Panchayat, all Ward Panch candidates were similarly returned unopposed, among them Bhagchand Bhil, Nandu, Ramdev, Kavita, Ratni, Kasturi, Narendra, Rameshwar, and Gopal.
What to Watch
With polling underway across the state, attention is focused on voter turnout figures, the smooth conduct of the ballot-paper-based process, and the timely declaration of results on Saturday night. The shift away from EVMs will be closely observed as a potential marker for how Rajasthan manages grassroots democratic exercises going forward. Deputy Sarpanch elections on Sunday will formally close out the first phase of this panchayat cycle.
Point of View
And reverting to paper at the grassroots level will be read as a signal by multiple stakeholders. More substantively, same-night counting across thousands of rural booths is a logistical stress test that the Election Commission machinery will need to clear convincingly. Voter turnout across Jaipur, Kota, and Ajmer will be the real referendum on rural political engagement, and any disruptions to the counting process could fuel contested result claims at the panchayat level — where disputes tend to be intensely local and hard to adjudicate quickly.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Rajasthan panchayat elections Phase 1 voting begin?
Voting began at 7 am on Saturday, 24 October 2026, and is scheduled to continue until 6 pm. Counting starts immediately after polling ends, with results expected by Saturday night.
How many Gram Panchayats are voting in Phase 1?
Elections are being held across 3,314 Gram Panchayats in Phase 1, with approximately 25,000 candidates contesting for Sarpanch posts and thousands more contesting Ward Panch positions.
Why are ballot papers being used instead of EVMs?
Voting in this phase is being conducted through ballot papers, marking a departure from the Electronic Voting Machines used in previous Rajasthan panchayat elections. Officials have not publicly detailed the specific reason for this switch.
What happens after Ward Panchs are elected?
On Sunday, the elected Ward Panchs will vote among themselves to choose their respective Deputy Sarpanchs, formally concluding the first phase of the panchayat election process.
Which district has the most Sarpanch candidates in Phase 1?
Jaipur district has 1,525 candidates contesting across 212 Gram Panchayats, with no unopposed returns recorded. The Chomu Panchayat Samiti alone has 301 candidates across 34 Gram Panchayats, the highest in the district.
