BJP wins Kota civic polls; chairperson election postponed over EVM glitches

The BJP crossed the majority mark in the Kota Municipal Corporation election, winning 55 of 100 wards, with Congress taking 40 and Independents three. Orders issued by Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary Rajesh Verma put results of Wards 87, 44 and 11 in Kota and a booth in Ward 4 of Suket Municipality on hold after EVM malfunctioning. Re-polling is set for September 16 and counting for September 17. Chairperson and vice chairperson elections in Kota and Suket were postponed. In Bundi, the BJP won 29 wards.

Written by AI from The Hindu — National · not yet reviewed by an editor · Published 15 Sept 2026, 1:20 am IST

Source

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#kota#municipal elections#bjp#congress#evm#rajasthan

Desk check · some claims need care

What the desk checked (5)

BJP won 55 of 100 wards in Kota Municipal Corporation; Congress 40 and Independents 3. — Figures appear in source as results reporting; totals add up to 98 of 100 wards, consistent with three withheld ward results.
Counting for Wards 87, 44 and 11 in Kota and a booth in Ward 4 of Suket Municipality was put on hold due to EVM malfunctioning. — Attributed in source to official orders issued by Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary Rajesh Verma.
Re-polling on September 16 and counting on September 17 in affected booths. — Dates appear in source, linked to the official orders; no separate confirmation given.
BJP 'played some game overnight' to defeat the Congress candidate in Ward 87. — Direct allegation quoted from Congress candidate Laxmi Sharma; opinion, not established fact, and no BJP response included.
In Bundi, BJP won 29 wards and reached majority after three Independents joined it. — Figures and defections stated in source without named official attribution.

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Analysts’ view opinion

AI రాజకీయ విశ్లేషకులు · తెలుగు

కోటాలో 100 వార్డుల్లో 55 గెలిచి బీజేపీ స్పష్టమైన మెజారిటీ సాధించడం, బూందీలో మెజారిటీకి రెండు స్థానాలు తక్కువ పడినా స్వతంత్రుల చేరికతో బోర్డు ఏర్పాటుకు దారి తెరుచుకోవడం — రాజస్థాన్ హడౌతీ ప్రాంతంలో పట్టణ ఓటరు ఇంకా కమలం వైపే మొగ్గు చూపుతున్నట్టు సూచిస్తోంది. కానీ నాలుగు బూత్‌లలో ఈవీఎం లోపాలతో ఫలితాలు నిలిపివేయడం, చైర్‌పర్సన్ ఎన్నిక వాయిదా పడటం బీజేపీ విజయ కథనాన్ని కొంత మసకబార్చి, కాంగ్రెస్‌కు "పారదర్శకత" అనే రాజకీయ ఆయుధాన్ని ఇచ్చింది. అదే సమయంలో బూందీలో టికెట్ల పంపిణీపై కాంగ్రెస్ లోపలి నుంచే వచ్చిన అసంతృప్తి, తిరుగుబాటు అభ్యర్థుల విజయాలు ఆ పార్టీ ఓటమిలో సంస్థాగత కారణాలు ఎక్కువ అని చెబుతున్నాయి.

కోటాలో 55–40 తేడా ఉన్నందున, నిలిపివేసిన మూడు వార్డుల ఫలితాలు ఏ వైపు వచ్చినా బీజేపీ బోర్డు ఏర్పాటుకు గణితపరమైన ఆటంకం లేదు — అంటే వివాదం సంఖ్యల కంటే విశ్వసనీయతపైనే కేంద్రీకృతమవుతుంది.
ఈవీఎం లోపం ఆరోపణలను కాంగ్రెస్ స్థానిక స్థాయిలోనే వదిలేయకుండా, రాష్ట్ర స్థాయి 'ఓటు గౌరవం' కథనంగా మలచుకునే అవకాశం ఉంది; మరోవైపు అధికారులు అధికారికంగా రీపోలింగ్ ప్రకటించడం విధానపరమైన ప్రతిస్పందన జరిగిందని బీజేపీ వాదనకు బలం.
బూందీలో స్వతంత్రులు గెలిచిన వెంటనే బీజేపీలో చేరడం, స్థానిక సంస్థల్లో అధికార పార్టీకి సహజంగా ఉండే ఆకర్షణ శక్తిని చూపుతుంది — దీన్ని కాంగ్రెస్ 'ప్రజాతీర్పు వక్రీకరణ' అని విమర్శించడం ఖాయం.
టికెట్లు కొన్ని కుటుంబాలకే పరిమితమయ్యాయని కాంగ్రెస్ నేతలే చెప్పడం, తిరస్కరించబడిన మూడు నేతలు స్వతంత్రులుగా గెలవడం — పార్టీ ఓటమి ఈవీఎంల వల్ల కాదు, అభ్యర్థుల ఎంపిక వల్ల అన్న ప్రత్యామ్నాయ వివరణను బలపరుస్తుంది.
నాలుగోసారి, ఐదోసారి గెలిచిన బీజేపీ కౌన్సిలర్లు ఉన్నా, మాజీ డిప్యూటీ మేయర్ ఓటమి, మాజీ నగర అధ్యక్షుడి పరాజయం వంటివి పార్టీలో వ్యక్తిగత వ్యతిరేకత (యాంటీ-ఇన్‌కంబెన్సీ) వార్డు స్థాయిలో పనిచేసిందని సూచిస్తున్నాయి.

What to watch — సెప్టెంబర్ 16 రీపోలింగ్, 17 లెక్కింపు తర్వాత చైర్‌పర్సన్ ఎన్నిక ఎంత సాఫీగా జరుగుతుందో, కాంగ్రెస్ ఈవీఎం అంశాన్ని న్యాయ/ఎన్నికల సంఘం వేదికల వరకు తీసుకెళ్తుందో లేక రాజకీయ ప్రచారంతో సరిపెడుతుందో గమనించాలి.

ఈవీఎంలలో లోపం సాంకేతిక కారణమా, ఉద్దేశపూర్వక అక్రమమా అనేది ఈ కథనం ఏమాత్రం నిర్ధారించలేదు; కాంగ్రెస్ ఆరోపణలకు స్వతంత్ర ధ్రువీకరణ లేదు, రాష్ట్ర స్థాయి రాజకీయ ప్రభావం గురించి ఇంకా ఎలాంటి ఆధారమూ లేదు.

Deep dive

Research brief · 8 facts · 6 dates · exam-ready

The brief

Context

Rajasthan held urban local body elections, including for the 100-ward Kota Municipal Corporation, Suket Municipality and Bundi municipal council. Counting on September 14, 2026 showed the BJP crossing the majority mark in Kota with 55 wards, but EVM malfunctioning in a few wards forced officials to withhold results and postpone the indirect election of chairperson and vice chairperson in Kota and Suket. Congress leaders in Kota staged protests at the counting centre demanding transparency and sealing of a suspect machine. In Bundi, the BJP fell two short of a majority but reached it after three Independents joined the party.

Key facts

BJP won 55 of 100 wards in the Kota Municipal Corporation election; Congress won 40 and Independents three.
Orders by Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary Rajesh Verma put counting and results of Kota's Wards 87, 44 and 11, and a booth in Ward 4 of Suket Municipality, on hold due to EVM malfunctioning.
Re-polling in the affected booths was scheduled for September 16, with counting on September 17.
Chairperson and vice chairperson elections in Kota and Suket were postponed because of the EVM glitches.
BJP's Vivek Rajvanshi won a fourth consecutive term in Ward 54, beating Congress's Manish by 2,226 votes; BJP's Gopal Ram Manda won a fifth consecutive election, by 899 votes over Congress's Sanjay Yadav.
Youth Congress candidate Arpit Jain defeated BJP veteran and former deputy mayor Yogendra Khinchi by 250 votes in Ward 86.
Independent Vandana Faujdar won Ward 71 with 1,264 votes, beating BJP's Meenakshi Sen by 160 votes, with Congress third.
In Bundi, BJP won 29 wards (two short of majority), Congress 20 and Independents 11; three Independents — Prabhat Devi (Ward 1), Aatmaram Chopdar (Ward 3) and Vishal Sharma (Ward 16) — later joined BJP to give it a majority.

Timeline

Previous mid-term (year not stated in the source)BJP captured the Bundi board by suspending Congress municipal council sabhapati Madu Nuwal.
September 14, 2026Counting held; EVM glitch reported during Ward 87 counting at JDB College; Congress leaders got the machine sealed before the Collector and ADM; officials sent a report to the Election Commission through the returning officer.
September 14, 2026 (evening)Three Independents in Bundi joined the BJP, taking it to a full majority to form the board.
September 15, 2026Results reported: BJP 55, Congress 40, Independents 3 in Kota; chairperson and vice chairperson polls in Kota and Suket postponed.
September 16, 2026Re-polling scheduled in the affected booths of Kota and Suket.
September 17, 2026Counting of the re-poll scheduled, before finalising local body election outcomes.

Who has a stake

BJP — Won 55 of 100 Kota wards and, after three Independents joined, a majority in Bundi; needs confirmed results to elect chairperson and vice chairperson.
Congress — Won 40 Kota wards and 20 in Bundi; alleges foul play in Ward 87 and faces internal criticism over ticket distribution.
Rakhi Gautam, Kota Congress President — Went to the counting centre to demand transparency and ensure the EVM was sealed before the Collector and ADM.
Rajesh Verma, Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary — Issued orders holding results of the affected wards and ordering re-polling; responsible for credibility of the process.
District Collector, ADM and returning officer — Sealed the machine and forwarded a formal report to the Election Commission seeking instructions.
Independent candidates — Won three wards in Kota and 11 in Bundi, becoming decisive in board formation; one, Babulal, alleged he was denied entry to the counting area.
Voters of Kota, Suket and Bundi — Board formation and their local representation delayed until re-polling and counting on September 16-17.

Why it matters

Urban local bodies deliver everyday civic services, so a delay in electing chairpersons keeps Kota and Suket without a functioning leadership. The EVM malfunction and the sealing of a machine in Ward 87 have turned a routine civic count into a test of electoral transparency, with Congress alleging manipulation. Bundi shows how Independents can decide control of a hung civic board through post-result defections.

UPSC angle

Prelims pointers

Kota Municipal Corporation has 100 wards; 2026 result: BJP 55, Congress 40, Independents 3.
Results of Kota Wards 87, 44, 11 and a booth in Suket Municipality Ward 4 were withheld over EVM malfunctioning.
Re-poll date: September 16, 2026; counting: September 17, 2026.
Orders were issued by Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary Rajesh Verma.
Bundi: BJP 29 wards (two short of majority), Congress 20, Independents 11; three Independents joined BJP.
Chairperson and vice chairperson posts in urban local bodies are filled by elected councillors, not directly by voters.

Mains framing

The Kota civic result illustrates two recurring stresses in Indian local democracy: procedural trust and post-poll instability. EVM malfunctioning in three Kota wards and a Suket booth forced the Chief Electoral Officer to withhold results and order re-polling on September 16 with counting on September 17, which in turn postponed the indirect election of chairperson and vice chairperson — showing how a technical failure at a handful of booths can stall the constitution of an entire municipal board. Congress's response, from a dharna at JDB College to the Kota unit president insisting the machine be sealed before the Collector and ADM, reflects that perceived transparency, not just accuracy, determines acceptance of results; the officials' formal report to the Election Commission through the returning officer is the institutional remedy available. In Bundi, the BJP's 29 seats in a hung house became a majority the same evening when three Independents joined, while Congress leaders attributed their shortfall to ticket distribution centralised in a few families and to rebels like Devraj Gochar, Ankit Buliwal and Jeeshan Ali winning as Independents. The way forward suggested by the story's own facts lies in prompt, documented re-polling, strict access and sealing protocols at counting centres, and greater internal democracy in candidate selection.

Key terms

Municipal Corporation: Urban local body for a large city, here Kota with 100 wards, each electing a councillor.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO): Senior official supervising the election process; here Rajesh Verma, also Secretary, ordered results held and re-polling.
Returning Officer (RO): Officer in charge of conducting the poll and count in a constituency; forwarded the EVM report to the Election Commission.
Re-polling: Fresh voting ordered at specific booths where polling or counting was vitiated, here scheduled for September 16, 2026.
Sabhapati: Chairperson of a municipal council; Bundi's Congress sabhapati Madu Nuwal was suspended in the previous mid-term.
Dharna: Sit-in protest; staged by Congress's Ward 87 candidate and leaders outside JDB College demanding the result.

Practice questions

EVM malfunctioning in a few booths delayed the constitution of the Kota and Suket civic boards. Discuss the safeguards needed to preserve public confidence in local body elections.
Independents won 11 of the Bundi wards and three later joined the BJP to give it a majority. Examine the implications of post-result defections for the stability and accountability of urban local governments.
Congress leaders blamed centralised ticket distribution for their performance in Bundi. To what extent does intra-party democracy shape outcomes in municipal elections?

Grounded only in the source report — figures and dates are the source's, not inferred.

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