Rajasthan urban body polls: Deputy Mayor, Deputy Chairperson elections across 309 bodies today
Synopsis
With mayoral elections done, Rajasthan now elects second-tier municipal leaders across 309 urban bodies on 22 September — a process where independent councillors hold the balance of power in closely divided corporations, making today's vote as politically charged as the first round.
Key Takeaways
Elections for Deputy Mayors , Deputy Chairpersons , and Vice-Chairpersons are being held across 309 Urban Local Bodies in Rajasthan on 22 September 2026 .
The polls cover 10 Municipal Corporations , 51 Municipal Councils , and 248 Municipalities .
Elected councillors — not the public — are the voters in this indirect election.
In Alwar , the BJP won the Mayor's post and is contesting the Deputy Mayor seat; Congress is fielding a rival candidate.
Dinesh Bhatt is reportedly under consideration for Deputy Mayor in Udaipur ; no official announcement had been made by the latest update.
In Karauli district , elections are being held in five Urban Local Bodies , including the Karauli Municipal Council.
Elections for Deputy Mayors, Deputy Chairpersons, and Vice-Chairpersons are being held on Tuesday, 22 September 2026 across 309 Urban Local Bodies in Rajasthan, completing the second tier of the state's municipal leadership structure. The polls follow the recently concluded elections for Mayors, Chairpersons, and Municipal Presidents, and cover 10 Municipal Corporations, 51 Municipal Councils, and 248 Municipalities.
How the election structure works
Deputy Mayors are being elected in the 10 Municipal Corporations, Deputy Chairpersons in the 51 Municipal Councils, and Vice-Chairpersons in the 248 Municipalities. Elected councillors of each respective urban body are the voters in this indirect election process. Where no candidate secures the post through consensus, voting will be followed by counting and a formal declaration of results on the same day.
Closely contested bodies and the role of independents
Councillor arithmetic is expected to be decisive, particularly in urban bodies where no single party commands a clear majority. Independent councillors could prove pivotal in closely fought contests, giving them outsized bargaining power in what are otherwise lower-profile elections. Parties and local leaders have reportedly been working through the night to consolidate support ahead of the vote.
Key contests: Alwar and Udaipur in focus
In the Alwar Municipal Corporation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) finalised their respective strategies late on Monday night. Councillors from both parties had been staying at designated camps since the mayoral election. The BJP, which won the Mayor's post in Alwar, is also working to secure the Deputy Mayor position.
In the Udaipur Municipal Corporation, BJP leaders continued deliberations over their candidate late on Monday night. Dinesh Bhatt's name has reportedly been under consideration for the Deputy Mayor post, though no official announcement had been made as of the latest update. The nomination process in Udaipur is scheduled to begin at 10 am, followed by the remaining stages of the election.
Karauli district: Five ULBs go to polls
In Karauli district, elections are being held across five Urban Local Bodies. The Deputy Chairperson election is scheduled in the Karauli Municipal Council, while Vice-Chairperson elections are being held in the municipalities of Todabhim, Sapotra, Mandrayal, and Suroth. Nominations will be completed first, with voting taking place only if required.
With results for these posts set to be declared today, Rajasthan's urban governance structure will be fully constituted across all 309 bodies by the end of the day.
Point of View
But they matter: Deputy Mayors and Chairpersons often manage day-to-day municipal functioning and can become power centres when the top post is occupied by a figurehead. The real story today is in the hung bodies — where independents can extract concessions from both the BJP and Congress, revealing the true balance of local power beyond the headline mayoral results. Rajasthan's urban governance has historically suffered from factionalism within corporations, and how today's arithmetic plays out will signal whether the newly elected leadership can function cohesively or will be paralysed by internal competition from the outset.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What elections are being held in Rajasthan on 22 September 2026?
Elections for Deputy Mayors, Deputy Chairpersons, and Vice-Chairpersons are being held across 309 Urban Local Bodies in Rajasthan on 22 September 2026. These follow the recently concluded elections for Mayors, Chairpersons, and Municipal Presidents, and complete the leadership structure of the state's municipal bodies.
Who votes in the Rajasthan Deputy Mayor and Deputy Chairperson elections?
Elected councillors of each respective urban body cast votes to choose the Deputy Mayor, Deputy Chairperson, or Vice-Chairperson. These are indirect elections — the general public does not vote. Where candidates secure consensus, voting may not be required.
How many urban bodies are holding elections today in Rajasthan?
A total of 309 Urban Local Bodies are holding second-tier leadership elections, comprising 10 Municipal Corporations, 51 Municipal Councils, and 248 Municipalities spread across the state.
What is happening in the Alwar and Udaipur Deputy Mayor elections?
In Alwar, the BJP — which won the Mayor's post — is working to also secure the Deputy Mayor position, while the Congress finalised its rival strategy late on Monday night. In Udaipur, Dinesh Bhatt's name has reportedly been under consideration for the BJP's Deputy Mayor candidate, though no official announcement had been made as of the latest update.
Why do independent councillors matter in today's Rajasthan urban body elections?
In urban bodies where no party commands a clear majority, independent councillors can decide the outcome of Deputy Mayor and Deputy Chairperson elections. Their support is being actively sought by both the BJP and Congress, giving them significant leverage in closely contested corporations and councils.
