Rajasthan begins reservation lotteries for Panchayati Raj elections

Preparations for the 2026 Panchayati Raj elections in Rajasthan have entered a decisive phase with the commencement of reservation lottery processes. On September 23 and 24, authorities are conducting lotteries at the district and sub-division levels to determine seat reservations for approximately 1.55 lakh positions, including Zila Parishad members, Panchayat Samiti members, Pradhans, Sarpanchs, and Ward Panches.

These reservations cover categories such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), General, and women. Notably, women are entitled to 50 percent reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions, which will account for over 77,000 positions.

In terms of scale, the elections will involve 14,403 Gram Panchayats and approximately 4 crore voters. Regional data shows Jodhpur has the highest number of Gram Panchayats at 649, while Khairthal-Tijara has the fewest at 180. In Ajmer, the lottery process is determining seats across 261 Gram Panchayats, and in Kota, the process is clarifying reservations for Pradhan positions across six Panchayat Samitis.

Politically, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is intensifying its efforts. National President Nitin Naveen is scheduled to launch a campaign on September 25 in Jaipur, flagging off 90 promotional chariots to reach rural areas and communicate government schemes to voters.