On Friday, April 26, the Election Commission of India (ECI) reported a 59.19% voter turnout in Rajasthan’s 13 constituencies during the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
This phase marked the final leg of polling in the state, following the initial phase held on April 19. Approximately 2.8 crore voters were eligible to cast their votes in this phase.
Constituencies and Turnout Statistics
Voting took place in 13 constituencies across Rajasthan, including Barmer-Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, Chittorgarh, Banswara, Kota-Bundi, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Kota, and Jhalawar-Baran.
In addition, a bypoll was conducted in the Bagidora Assembly constituency. Among these, Barmer recorded the highest voter turnout at 69.79%, while Pali witnessed the lowest at 51.75%.
Key Candidates and Their Participation
Several prominent candidates contested in Friday’s elections, including Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from Kota-Bundi, BJP state president CP Joshi from Chittorgarh, and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Jodhpur.
Notably, all these candidates exercised their voting rights during the second phase.
In Banswara, initial hours saw a boycott declaration at the Adibheet polling booth due to locals’ demands for compensation regarding land acquired for a power plant. Efforts were made by officials to persuade voters to cast their ballots.
The Bagidora Assembly seat in Banswara became vacant after Congress MLA Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya defected to the BJP. Malviya is now contesting the Lok Sabha election from Banswara as a BJP candidate.
Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani voted in Ajmer, while former chief ministers Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot cast their votes in Jhalawar and Jodhpur, respectively.
Bhuri Bai, aged 108, made headlines as she cast her vote in the Kota-Bundi Lok Sabha constituency. Accompanied by her family members, she reached the polling booth in a wheelchair.
A touching moment occurred in Sankand, Jalore, where three generations – a man, his son, and granddaughters – arrived at a polling station to cast their votes. They also captured memories at the selfie point in the booth.
In a unique display of civic responsibility, a groom voted at Bhadsoda in Chittorgarh before his wedding procession. He emphasized the importance of participating in democracy before his marriage ceremony.
The second phase of Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan witnessed significant participation from voters, with notable incidents highlighting the diverse aspects of democratic engagement.
As the electoral process progresses, attention now turns to the counting of votes and the eventual formation of the government representing the will of the people.
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