Voting was underway in 22 districts of Rajasthan for the second phase of the panchayati raj elections on Wednesday morning.
The polling began at 7 am for 352 wards of 22 zila parishads and 2,197 wards of 124 panchayat samitis. Urban Development and Housing Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra was among the early voters and was seen standing in queue at booth number 54 in Bharni village of Sikar district.
In some places, however, it was delayed as electronic voting machines (EVMs) malfunctioned, according to officials.
In Jodhpur’s Tiwari panchayat samiti, EVM problems affected voting at two booths. In Ganeshwar village of Neem Ka Thana panchayat samiti in Sikar, 95-year-old Mali Devi came with her family to cast her vote. Voting began 30 minutes late at two booths in Ajmer for the same reason, the officials said. An EVM developed a fault after the first vote was cast at booth number 71 in Muradpur village under Singhana panchayat samiti in Jhunjhunu.
Voting resumed after the machine was replaced, they said.
