Politics
Voting commenced at 7:00 am on Thursday, October 22, 2026, to initiate the initial phase of Rajasthan's Panchayati Raj elections, with the balloting process set to conclude at 6:00 pm. Over 85 lakh eligible voters are anticipated to determine representatives for 16 Zila Parishads and 104 Panchayat Samitis throughout the state.
A cohort of 6,926 candidates are vying for 2,081 positions in this phase, encompassing 293 Zila Parishad wards and 1,788 Panchayat Samiti wards. Within this group, 1,693 individuals are seeking Zila Parishad representation, while 5,233 are contending for Panchayat Samiti membership. Election officials have designated 9,886 polling stations, and voting for both tiers is being facilitated via electronic voting machines (EVMs).
The initial tranche encompasses Ajmer, Alwar, Barmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jhalawar, Jodhpur, Kota, Nagaur, Pali, Phalodi, Rajsamand, Sirohi and Udaipur districts. The primary competition is between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, with the Bharat Adivasi Party, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and independent candidates also participating in numerous constituencies.
The State Election Commission has determined the schedule for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti member elections, to be conducted over four phases. Subsequent to a revision disclosed on 6 October, the polling dates are established as 22 October, 28 October, 3 November, and 14 November. The initial three phases have been moved forward by one day to accommodate religious observances linked to Dhanteras, whereas the fourth-phase schedule will proceed as initially planned.
Elections for sarpanch and ward panch positions are slated for October 24, October 30, November 5, and November 16. Vote tabulation for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti member elections, encompassing all phases, is scheduled for November 20. The statewide election encompasses 41 Zila Parishads, 457 Panchayat Samitis and 14,403 Gram Panchayats. The electoral proceedings will establish representation within rural local governance structures in Rajasthan.