Rajasthan Panchayat Polls Underway Amid EVM Malfunctions

Voting for the second phase of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj elections commenced at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The polling covers 352 wards across 22 zila parishads and 2,197 wards within 124 panchayat samitis. According to official reports, the process encountered delays at several polling stations due to malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Specific technical issues were reported in various districts. In Jodhpur’s Tiwari panchayat samiti, EVM problems impacted voting at two booths. Similarly, voting began 30 minutes behind schedule at two booths in Ajmer. In Jhunjhunu, an EVM at booth number 71 in Muradpur village under the Singhana panchayat samiti developed a fault after the first vote was cast, requiring the machine to be replaced before voting could resume, officials stated.

Despite these technical hurdles, high-profile participation was noted. Urban Development and Housing Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra cast his vote at booth number 54 in Bharni village of Sikar district. In the same district, at Ganeshwar village in the Neem Ka Thana panchayat samiti, 95-year-old voter Mali Devi participated in the process. Officials noted that voters are required to cast two separate votes: one for a zila parishad member and one for a panchayat samiti member.

Voting is scheduled to continue until 6 p.m., with officials confirming that voters present at stations before the deadline will be permitted to cast their ballots. These elections are being conducted in four phases, with previous rounds held on October 22 and October 24. Subsequent phases for zila parishad and panchayat samiti seats are set for November 3 and November 14.

What to watch: The final voter turnout percentages once polls close at 6 p.m.

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