Rajasthan Assembly bypolls: 65% voter turnout recorded; largely peaceful

Rajasthan byelections witness 65.29% polling with peaceful voting, except for Haryana youths' influence attempt and Deoli-Uniara slapping incident.

An average of 65.29% polling was recorded in the byelections to seven Assembly seats in Rajasthan on Wednesday (November 13, 2024). Polling in the seven constituencies was largely peaceful, except for an attempt made by some youths from neighbouring Haryana to influence the voting in Ramgarh and an alleged slapping incident in Deoli-Uniara.

The voting started amid strict security arrangements in the morning in Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinwsar, Chorasi, Salumber, and Ramgarh constituencies. Long queues were witnessed at several polling booths as the day progressed. There were no reports of any major untoward incident during the polling anywhere.

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The highest voter turnout of 75.27% was recorded in Ramgarh, followed by 71.04% in Khinwsar, 68.55% in Chorasi, 64.19% in Salumbar, 60.61% in Deoli-Uniara, 61.8% in Jhunjhunu, and 55.63% in Dausa.

Police detained four youths, identified as the Congress party workers from neighbouring Haryana, in Govindgarh area of Alwar district’s Ramgarh constituency. They were travelling in a car with Haryana’s registration number and were allegedly trying to influence the voting at some polling booths.

Congress rebel Naresh Meena, contesting as an Independent at Deoli-Uniara, created a flutter by allegedly slapping a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) at a polling station in Samrawata village while claiming irregularities in voting. Mr. Meena said the SDM, Amit Chaudhary, was forcing the villagers to cast their votes despite their announcement on boycotting the byelection.

The incident was captured in a video, which later went viral on the social media. Mr. Meena alleged that the SDM had allowed at least three fake voters to cast the ballot, after which the public became agitated. The independent candidate, who has since been suspended by the Congress, staged a dharna along with his supporters on the spot.