Polling for the third phase of Rajasthan's Panchayati Raj elections was held on Thursday, November 5, for 3,716 sarpanch posts and 34,218 ward panch posts across 27 districts, with more than 1.06 crore voters eligible to vote. Turnout reached 82.3% till 6 pm, The Times of India reported. The Hindu also reported that violence marred the third phase of polling.

Source: The Times of India

The fatal clash took place on Wednesday night in Delsar village under Nawalgarh in Jhunjhunu district, where supporters of two sarpanch candidates attacked each other with sticks. A youth from Hoshiarpur in Punjab died and two others were injured. Police seized several vehicles and detained some people for questioning, and the injured were referred to a higher medical centre, according to the report.

Candidate allegedly assaulted in Sikar

In Bhojya Ki Dhani panchayat of Sikar district, sarpanch candidate Arun Pareek was allegedly assaulted by rival candidate Kishor Kumar Kumawat and around 50 of his supporters. Pareek suffered injuries to his neck and other parts of his body and was admitted to SK Hospital. His wife Rajni alleged that Kumawat had threatened Pareek earlier in the day. These are allegations reported by the family and have not been independently established.

Lathi charge in Jalore, protests elsewhere

In Chitalwana in Jalore district, supporters of a sarpanch candidate accused a rival of facilitating alleged bogus voting and protested outside a polling station. When some people allegedly entered the booth and attempted to disrupt voting, police resorted to a lathi charge and detained 12 people. Similar protests over alleged bogus voting were reported from Bhupalsagar in Chittorgarh, where police used force to disperse villagers, and supporters clashed in Ratanpur in Hanumangarh district.

In Sami village of Sikar, tension prevailed after a youth allegedly pelted stones at a passing vehicle said to belong to an outsider; police said the matter was being investigated and the situation was brought under control. Separately, polling for the sarpanch post was not held in Ludi Jhabar gram panchayat in Churu after the sole nomination was rejected, as the seat was reserved for the Scheduled Tribe category and no eligible candidate was available in the village.