Rajasthan urban local body polls: SEC to announce schedule for 309 bodies today
Synopsis
Rajasthan's State Election Commission is set to trigger elections for 309 urban local bodies — covering 10,245 seats — at a single press conference on 19 August. The move is court-mandated, and the Model Code of Conduct kicking in the same day will freeze new government projects and likely derail the UCC Bill's passage this session.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan SEC will announce the urban local body election schedule at 4 pm on 19 August .
Elections cover 10,245 councillor seats across 309 urban local bodies — 10 Municipal Corporations, 51 Municipal Councils, and 248 Municipalities.
The Model Code of Conduct takes effect immediately, barring new government projects and inaugurations in urban areas.
The Rajasthan High Court directed that polls be completed by 15 November after flagging delays.
3,356 seats (33%) are reserved for women; OBC, SC, and ST reservations apply across wards and top posts.
The UCC Bill and the Khejri tree conservation legislation are unlikely to pass this session due to MCC restrictions; the government may reconvene in November .
The Rajasthan State Election Commission (SEC) is set to announce the election schedule for all 309 urban local bodies in the state at 4 pm on Wednesday, 19 August, with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) coming into force immediately upon the announcement. The polls cover 10,245 councillor seats across Rajasthan's urban areas, from major municipal corporations to smaller municipalities.
Key Details of the Announcement
State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh will formally release the schedule at a press conference. The MCC will remain in effect until the election process is fully concluded, placing immediate restrictions on government activity across all urban local bodies covered by the polls.
Under the code, the state government will be barred from announcing new development projects, issuing fresh work orders, or launching new schemes in the affected urban areas. Inaugurations and foundation stone-laying ceremonies for new projects will also be prohibited. Ongoing works with existing approvals, however, will be allowed to continue.
Scale and Structure of the Elections
The 309 urban local bodies comprise 10 Municipal Corporations, 51 Municipal Councils, and 248 Municipalities. Councillor elections will be held first, followed by contests for Mayors, Chairpersons of Municipal Councils, and Municipal Chairpersons.
Of the 10,245 wards, 1,933 are reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 1,794 for Scheduled Castes (SCs), and 395 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). A total of 6,123 wards are unreserved, including 4,120 open seats and 2,003 seats reserved for women. Across all categories, 3,356 seats — representing 33% — are reserved for women.
Among the posts of Mayors and Chairpersons, 60 are reserved for OBCs, 50 for SCs, and 11 for STs.
High Court Directive Behind the Push
The elections are being conducted following directions from the Rajasthan High Court, which had expressed concern over prolonged delays in holding urban local body and Panchayati Raj elections. The court directed that the polls be completed by 15 November and that the reservation lottery process be wrapped up by 15 August. The Department of Local Self-Government has completed the lottery for reservation of posts and wards and forwarded the details to the SEC.
Impact on Legislative Plans
The enforcement of the election code is expected to disrupt the state government's legislative agenda. The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill and a proposed legislation on the conservation of Khejri trees are unlikely to be passed during the upcoming Assembly session, as MCC restrictions apply. The monsoon session is scheduled to begin on Thursday and run for two days. Both bills may be introduced during the session, with the government reportedly considering reconvening the Assembly in November — after election restrictions are lifted — to complete the legislative process.
Point of View
And whether both bills survive the post-poll political arithmetic, remains to be seen.
NationPress
19 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Rajasthan urban local body elections be held?
The exact election dates will be announced by the Rajasthan State Election Commission at 4 pm on 19 August 2025. The Rajasthan High Court has directed that the polls be completed by 15 November.
How many seats are up for election in Rajasthan's urban local body polls?
A total of 10,245 councillor seats across 309 urban local bodies are up for election, spanning 10 Municipal Corporations, 51 Municipal Councils, and 248 Municipalities.
What is the Model Code of Conduct and when does it take effect?
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is a set of guidelines that restricts government activity — including new project announcements, work orders, and inaugurations — during election periods. It comes into force immediately upon the SEC's schedule announcement on 19 August and stays in effect until the election process concludes.
Why are the Rajasthan urban local body elections being held now?
The elections are being conducted following a directive from the Rajasthan High Court, which expressed concern over delays in holding urban local body and Panchayati Raj elections and ordered that the process be completed by 15 November.
Will the UCC Bill be passed during the Rajasthan Assembly's monsoon session?
It is unlikely. The Model Code of Conduct restricts the government from advancing certain legislative actions, and the UCC Bill along with the Khejri tree conservation legislation are expected to be deferred. The government is reportedly considering reconvening the Assembly in November after election restrictions are lifted.
