Polling commenced for the Karanpur assembly seat in Rajasthan on Friday at 7 am following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s nominee Surendra Pal Singh TT was sworn in as a minister, triggering criticism from the Congress. All necessary arrangements had been made for the voting, according to officials’ statements cited by PTI.
Surendra Pal Singh TT assumed office as a minister of state (independent charge) in Bhajanlal Sharma’s government on December 30 last year. However, the move drew flak from Congress, led by former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who labelled it a direct violation of the election code of conduct and an attempt to sway voters.
Gehlot voiced his apprehensions, asserting, “This is a clear violation of the ethical standards expected during elections. The BJP’s actions undermine the democratic process,” as quoted by PTI.
According to existing regulations, non-legislators can be appointed as ministers if they secure an election within six months. The controversy arose due to the timing of the ministerial appointment close to the Karanpur seat polling.
The election for Karanpur, situated in Sriganganagar district, was previously postponed following the demise of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. To fill the void, the Congress has nominated Koonar’s son, Rupinder Singh, as their candidate.
The voting is scheduled to occur between 7 am and 6 pm today, with the election results set to be announced on January 8, as stated by election officials cited by PTI. Praveen Gupta, the Chief Electoral Officer, specified that 249 polling stations had been established in Karanpur to facilitate the voting process.
Providing insights into the electorate, Gupta revealed, “The Karanpur assembly constituency comprises a total of 2.40 lakh voters, including 1,25,850 men, 1,14,966 women, and 10 transgender voters. Additionally, there are 180 registered service voters,” according to PTI.
A total of 12 candidates are vying for the Karanpur seat.
Voting had taken place on 199 out of 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan on November 25 of the previous year. Subsequently, the results were announced on December 8, with the BJP securing victories in 115 seats, while the Congress managed to secure 69 seats.
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