Rajasthan Assembly elections 2023 live: Polling ends, 74.13% voter turnout recorded, as per ECI
The polling began at 7 am and voters can cast their ballots until 6 pm.
Women waiting in queue at a polling station to cast their votes. (PTI)
CHENNAI: After days of hectic campaigning by major political parties, including the ruling Congress and BJP, voting began in 199 out of 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan on Saturday.
The polling began at 7 am and voters can cast their ballots until 6 pm.
Adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and fair elections.
Prominent candidates in the fray include Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former CM Vasundhara Raje, former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, Congress national spokesperson Gourav Vallabh, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, Vishwaraj Singh Mewar, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, and Rajasthan LoP Rajendra Rathore.
The smaller parties include the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, Bharatiya Adivasi Party, CPI-M, Jannayak Janata Party, and Azad Samaj Party. Violence against women, paper leak scams, and farmers' suicides are some of the key issues that were highlighted by the Opposition BJP to strike against the ruling Congress.
The counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.
74.13% voter turnout was recorded in Rajasthan, as per the Election Commission of India.
70.00% voter turnout was recorded in Rajasthan till 9 pm, as per the Election Commission of India.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) being sealed & secured at a polling booth in Jaipur.
#WATCH | Rajasthan: Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) being sealed & secured at a polling booth in Jaipur.
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2023
The counting of votes will take place on December 3. pic.twitter.com/dw5SphFGjU
"As far as problems with EVM are concerned, our state has the least number of problems with EVM during the poll & mock poll," says Rajasthan Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta.
BJP candidate Ashok Dogra from Bundi constituency cast his vote at a polling booth in Bundi.
VIDEO | Rajasthan Assembly Election: BJP candidate Ashok Dogra from Bundi constituency cast his vote at a polling booth in Bundi.#RajasthanElections2023 #AssemblyElections2023 #AssemblyElectionWithPTI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 25, 2023
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/UwGk5DZBvE
Voters reaching booth premises by 6 p.m. allowed to vote, says Chief Electoral Officer
Voting time for the ongoing Assembly Election-2023 in Rajasthan is till 6 p.m.
According to the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India, all the voters who have reached the booth premises by this time will be allowed to vote. No new person will be allowed to enter the campus after 6 p.m.
Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta said that the polling personnel will number the slips of such voters who reach till 6 pm and will issue these slips starting from the last voter.
#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan: State's Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta says, "Voting is still underway. We had said that those who came to the booth by 6:00 pm would be eligible to cast the vote. The voter turnout till 5:00 pm was 68.24%..." pic.twitter.com/2i5OQbxSP6
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2023
After this, voting will continue until all the voters exercise their franchise. The Chief Electoral Officer has instructed the District Election Officers to pay special attention to this.
EVM being sealed & secured at a polling booth in Savali village, Bikaner.
#WATCH | Rajasthan: Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) being sealed & secured at a polling booth in Savali village, Bikaner.
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2023
The counting of votes will take place on December 3. pic.twitter.com/2Neb7M83OW
68.24% voter turnout recorded in Rajasthan till 5 pm, as per ECI.
68.24% voter turnout recorded in Rajasthan till 5pm, as per Election Commission of India. pic.twitter.com/IB63KsGvQt
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2023
"It's my right and I wanted to exercise my right (to vote) first. That's why, I preferred to vote before my marriage," Groom after casting his vote on his wedding day in Didwana.
On the clash between two groups at Fatehpur Shekhawati, Sikar SP Paris Deshmukh says, "We received information that there had been stone pelting between two groups in a street. A mobile party, SHO, CO, and police reached here and took the situation completely under control. No voting is hindered. 6 to 7 people have been detained. CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) teams are deployed. Initially, it is known that there was a verbal clash between the two groups regarding the votes. One police jawan has minor injuries. Those who are responsible, we will take appropriate action."