Voting began at 7 am on Wednesday in the first phase of the civic elections in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. Voting is being held across nine urban local bodies, including Jhunjhunu Municipal Council, with 2.57 lakh voters eligible to decide the electoral fate of 1,194 candidates. Polling will continue until 6 pm.
A government holiday has been declared in the district in view of the polling. Queues of voters were seen at several polling stations during the early hours.
Apart from Jhunjhunu Municipal Council, voting is being conducted in the municipalities of Baggar, Sultana, Nawalgarh, Jakhal, Mukundgarh, Ind Lod, Khetri and Udaipurwati. A total of 600 polling locations have been arranged across the nine urban local bodies.
The administration has made arrangements for the smooth conduct of polling, with special attention to security in sensitive areas. The remaining 10 urban local bodies in the district will vote on September 11. Counting of votes for all the urban local bodies will be held on September 14.
A total of 2.57 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in the nine urban local bodies covered in the first phase. Their votes will determine the electoral outcome for 1,194 candidates.
Jhunjhunu Municipal Council has the highest number of candidates, with 262 candidates contesting the election. Ward No. 3 has the highest number of candidates at 11, while seven different wards have the lowest number, with two candidates each.
Voters began arriving at polling stations from the morning, with queues forming at several locations.
Several wards of Jhunjhunu Municipal Council recorded a significant turnout of women voters during the morning hours. Crowds of women were seen at polling stations in sensitive wards 38 and 35. At several booths, the number of women voters appeared higher than that of men.
Voters waited in queues and cast their ballots peacefully. Elderly and disabled voters also reached polling stations with assistance from family members.
At the polling station located at Qureshi Guest House in Ward 39, an elderly disabled voter reached the booth with the help of family members and cast a vote. Similarly, an elderly woman arrived with assistance from her family at the Jeenagar Guest House polling station in Ward 35.
Ward 38 of Jhunjhunu Municipal Council has attracted particular attention in the election. Long queues of voters were seen from the morning at the polling station located at New Guest House. The ward is also associated with outgoing municipal council chairperson Nagama Bano.
According to initial information, the contest in Ward 38 is mainly between Congress and independent candidates. No final conclusion about the position of any candidate can be drawn until the election results are announced.
Outgoing Jhunjhunu Municipal Council chairperson Nagama Bano cast her vote on Wednesday at the New Guest House polling station in Ward No. 38. After voting, she said she was not contesting the election this time due to personal reasons, while her father-in-law is contesting.
Bano referred to the work undertaken for the development of the city during her tenure and said she received public support. She expressed hope that voters would extend their support on the basis of development.
She said that although she was not contesting the election, her father-in-law would now serve the public. She also referred to her family’s longstanding association with public service.
Jhunjhunu MLA Rajendra Bhambu cast his vote on Wednesday morning at a polling station in Ward No. 47. After voting, he said the people of the city wanted change and that the BJP would form the board in the municipal council.
The MLA appealed to people to vote in large numbers. He said every citizen should exercise their franchise to strengthen democracy.
Rajendra Bhambu claimed that the BJP had broad public support and expressed confidence that the party would form the municipal council board with a clear majority.
Technical problems with electronic voting machines, or EVMs, were reported at some polling stations in Jhunjhunu Municipal Council after voting began. EVM-related technical issues were reported in Wards 53 and 19.
A technical problem was also reported with the EVM at Booth No. 45, Part No. 1, in Ward 31. The administration immediately replaced the faulty machines, after which polling resumed smoothly.
Returning Officer Ramkaran and ARO and Commissioner Rakesh Kumar’s team are continuously monitoring the polling stations.
Technical problems with EVMs were also reported at Booth Nos. 9 and 17 during the Baggar municipal election. Polling was affected for some time due to faults in the control unit and display unit.
After receiving the information, Returning Officer Mukesh Kumar provided new EVMs at both booths. Polling resumed at the concerned stations after the machines were replaced.
Extensive security arrangements have been made across the district for the peaceful conduct of the first phase of polling. More than 2,200 police personnel have been deployed across the nine urban local bodies during voting.
Administrative and police teams are monitoring the situation at polling stations. Special vigilance is being maintained in sensitive wards and polling stations to maintain law and order and provide a secure environment for voters.
Civic election polling in Jhunjhunu district is being conducted in two phases. Voting is taking place in nine urban local bodies on Wednesday, September 9, while the remaining 10 urban local bodies will vote on September 11.
Counting for all the urban local bodies will take place on September 14. Polling on September 9 and September 11 will cover all 19 urban local bodies in the district.
Polling in the first phase is continuing in Jhunjhunu, with voters participating at polling stations amid administrative monitoring, security arrangements and other measures put in place for the voting process.
