Civic polls in 46 Rajasthan cities tomorrow

Forty-six civic bodies will go to polls tomorrow in Rajasthan to elect mayors in four municipal corporations and chairmen in 11 municipal councils.
       
Besides, heads of 31 municipalities will also be elected, a spokesman of the state Election Commission said today.
 
Altogether, 6,449 candidates are in fray which include candidates of the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP, the spokesman said.
 
Of the 1,612 wards going for voting, 19 candidates were elected unopposed on the last date of withdrawal of papers on November 14. This included 11 of the Congress, four each of BJP and Independents.
 
About 14,700 EVMs would be used for free and fair polls besides deployment of 40,000 employees on election duty.
 
Over 56.97 lakh voters would use their right of franchise between 8 am to 5 pm tomorrow. Results would be declared on November 26.
 
For the first time voters would elect their mayors and chairmen directly in civic bodies polls.
 
For the first time 50% of total wards have been reserved for women candidates who are trying their luck as councillors and head of civic bodies including municipal corporations, municipal councils and municipalities.
       
For Jaipur Municipal Corporation mayorship, Jyoti Khandelwal of the Congress and Suman Sharma of BJP are locked in a close battle as this is going to be a litmus test for the Gehlot government in the state capital.
 
Voters would use their right of franchise one for ward member, and second for either mayor or chairman as per the civic body.