Rajasthan Panchayat Polls: 2900 Sarpanch Seats Reserved For OBC, Report Soon

Preparations for the upcoming Panchayat elections in Rajasthan have entered a critical phase as the OBC Representation Commission is expected to submit its final report within the next 12 to 15 days. Following the submission of this report to the state government, the lottery process for seat reservation will commence. According to sources, approximately 2,900 Sarpanch seats and nearly 24,000 Panch seats are slated to be reserved for candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

The commission is currently finalizing calculations based on the 14,403 Gram Panchayats across the state. 9 lakh wards. This expansion has necessitated a comprehensive review of the reservation metrics to ensure proportional representation.

Reservation Dynamics and Lottery Timeline

The tenure of the Political Representation Commission, established to determine OBC reservation, has been extended twice to ensure data accuracy. According to the current roadmap, the lottery process for reservation is expected to be completed by the third week or the end of February. As per court directives, the State Election Commission is mandated to conduct the polls by April, making the upcoming weeks crucial for administrative finalization.

Voter List Finalization and Election Schedule

The State Election Department has set a deadline of February 25 to complete the updating of voter lists. Once the lists are finalized, the formal schedule for the Gram Panchayat elections is likely to be released. Officials indicate that the commission is exploring the possibility of conducting elections for all Gram Panchayats simultaneously, despite the logistical challenges posed by the 30% increase in ward numbers.

Logistics and EVM Procurement via MP MOU

To address the requirement for electronic voting machines, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the State Election Commissions of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. Under this agreement, Rajasthan will receive 30,000 Control Units and 60,000 Ballot Units from Madhya Pradesh. This procurement will supplement Rajasthan's existing stock of 10,000 EVMs, ensuring sufficient hardware for the large-scale electoral exercise.

According to analysts, the integration of a larger ward structure and the new reservation report will define the administrative complexity of these elections. The timely procurement of EVMs from the neighboring state is seen as a strategic move to maintain the election timeline. The focus now remains on the commission's report, which will serve as the foundation for the final notification of the polls.