Jaipur, Sep 9 (PTI) Rajasthan on Wednesday recorded a voter turnout of 26.45 per cent till 10 am in the first phase of urban local body elections, spanning 162 civic bodies, including 18 in Jaipur district.
The highest polling percentage was recorded at 51.26 per cent at Pahari Municipal Council of Deeg district and the lowest 14.74 per cent at Dungarpur municipality.
Bogus voting was reported at two wards in Baran district and at one ward each in Jaipur, Bhilwara, Jalore and Bharatpur. Polling was disrupted at a booth in ward 39 of Sujangarh municipal council due to an electronic voting machine (EVM) glitch. A similar report also came from ward 52 in Bikaner.
Reports of EVM glitches also came from Sawai Madhopur, Jodhpur and Alwar city, where
voters even staged a protest.
More than 20,000 candidates are in the fray for 5,393 councillor posts in the first phase. Polling started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, officials said.
The 162 urban local bodies going to polls include four municipal corporations, 27 municipal councils and 131 municipalities.
The four municipal corporations covered in the first phase are Alwar, Bharatpur, Bikaner and Bhilwara. A total of 20,623 candidates are contesting the elections.
According to officials, 57,52,278 (57.52 lakh) voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 7,683 polling booths across the 162 civic bodies.
In Jaipur district, polling was being conducted at 565 booths across 18 urban local bodies.
Polling for Rajasthan’s 309 urban local bodies is being conducted in two phases on September 9 and 11. Counting of votes for councillor posts will be held on September 14. PTI AG AMJ AMJ
