48.08% voter turnout till 3 pm in Rajasthan panchayat polls

Jaipur: Around 48 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm in the elections for panchayat samiti and respective zila parishad in 21 districts of Rajasthan on Monday.

The polling began in the morning amid tight security arrangements at 10,131 polling booths.

48.08 per cent of 72.38 lakh voters voted till 3 pm in the elections for 65 panchayat samiti and respective zila parishad, a spokesperson of the state election commission said.

The elections in the first phase are being held in Ajmer, Banswara, Barmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dungarpur, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Pali, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Sikar, Tonk and Udaipur.

Nearly 25,000 EVMs are being used in the first phase, while more than 50,000 employees have been deployed in the election.

The polling for second, third and fourth phases will be held on November 27, December 1 and December 5, respectively.

The counting for all four phases of elections will be held on December 8.