JAIPUR: The political atmosphere in Rajasthan heated up on Monday amid elections for top posts in urban local bodies. Congress-backed councillors alleged that police were preventing them from reaching polling centres. Around 18 councillors claimed that police action was making it difficult for them to exercise their voting rights.
The Congress alleged that attempts were being made to put pressure on councillors ahead of the elections. Party leaders said that in closely contested civic bodies, each councillor’s vote was important. The allegations have therefore raised questions over the role of the police and administration.
On Monday, voting was taking place for the posts of chairperson, chairman and mayor in 273 urban local bodies across Rajasthan. These included five municipal corporations, including Ajmer, Bikaner, Udaipur, Alwar and Pali. The counting process was also scheduled to begin in the respective local bodies after voting.
Ahead of the elections, reports of councillors being kept together in hotels or other secure locations had also emerged in several places. The Congress objected to the presence of police and questioning in some locations. The ruling side, however, did not accept the allegations linking police and administrative action to political pressure.
A dispute over police action also emerged in Bikaner ahead of the mayoral election. Congress councillor Maqsood Ahmed was called for questioning in connection with an old case. The Rajasthan High Court subsequently granted interim protection from arrest and directed him to appear for questioning on September 30. Following the court order, the way was cleared for him to participate in the election.
In several urban local bodies across Rajasthan, the numerical difference between candidates was considered narrow, making the presence and voting of councillors important. The allegations made by the 18 Congress-backed councillors have added to the political dispute surrounding the election process.
Attention is now on whether all the councillors will be able to reach the polling centres and exercise their voting rights.
