Rajasthan Panchayat Polls Kicking Off Oct 23 in Four Phases!

The State Election Commission has announced a comprehensive four-phase schedule for the Panchayat Raj institution elections in Rajasthan, set to commence on October 23 and conclude by November 17. The results for Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis are eagerly awaited on November 20. This significant democratic exercise will see an estimated 4.03 crore eligible voters cast their ballots across the state.

State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh, during a press conference in Jaipur on Saturday (October 3, 2026), detailed that elections would be held for members of 41 Zila Parishads, 457 Panchayat Samitis, and 14,403 village panchayats. This follows a recent delimitation and reorganization of the Panchayati Raj institutions, which has increased the number of Zila Parishads from 33 to 41 and Panchayat Samitis from 352 to 457.

The polling for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members is scheduled for October 23, October 29, November 4, and November 14. Simultaneously, elections for the crucial posts of panch and sarpanch will take place on October 25, October 31, November 6, and November 16, with vote counting immediately following polling at the respective village panchayat headquarters.

Further phases include elections for deputy sarpanch on October 26, November 1, November 7, and November 17.

The process will culminate with the election of Zila Pramukh on November 25, Up-Zila Pramukh on November 26, Panchayat Samiti Pradhans on November 27, and Up-Pradhans on November 28.

To facilitate this massive electoral event, 45,384 polling stations will be established across Rajasthan. Following the announcement, the model code of conduct has immediately come into force in all rural areas. A progressive step highlighted by Mr.

Singh is the 50% reservation for women in these Panchayati Raj institutions. The state has also observed a 6.22% increase in the number of electors compared to the previous panchayat elections held in 2020-21.

Emphasizing the commission's commitment to the 'One State, One Election' concept, Mr.

Singh confirmed that elections for the three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions are being held simultaneously. While electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members, the elections for sarpanch and panch will be conducted using traditional ballot papers.

This election cycle marks a significant moment for grassroots democracy in Rajasthan, promising to reshape local governance with increased representation and updated administrative structures.

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