Rajasthan: Polling Begins For Karanpur Assembly Seat, Minister Surendra Pal Singh In Fray

Rajasthan News: Polling began for the Karanpur assembly seat on Friday where BJP's nominee is Surendra Pal Singh TT who is already sworn in as a minister in the Bhajanlal Sharma-led cabinet.

Rajasthan Minister Surendra Pal Singh during the cabinet's oath ceremony, at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur, Dec. 30, 2023

Source : PTI

Polling began for the Karanpur assembly seat in Rajasthan on Friday after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee for this seat, Surendra Pal Singh TT, was sworn in as a minister, prompting concerns and criticism from the Congress. PTI cited officials on Thursday as saying that all arrangements have been made for the voting.

Surendra Pal Singh TT took office as a minister of state (independent charge) in Bhajanlal Sharma's government on December 30 last year. However, the move faced criticism from the Congress, led by former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who deemed it a clear violation of the code of conduct and an attempt to influence voters.

Gehlot expressed his concerns, stating, "This is a clear violation of the ethical standards expected during elections. The BJP's actions undermine the democratic process", as quoted by PTI.

Under the existing rules, non-legislators can be included as ministers, provided they secure election within six months. The controversy was regarding the timing of the ministerial appointment in proximity to the Karanpur seat polling.

The election for Karanpur, located in Sriganganagar district, was previously adjourned following the demise of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. To fill the void, the Congress has fielded Koonar's son, Rupinder Singh, as their candidate.

Karanpur Voting: 249 Polling Stations Set Up

The voting process was scheduled to take place from 7 am to 6 pm today, with the election results slated for announcement on January 8, according to election officials cited by PTI. Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta outlined that 249 polling stations have been set up in Karanpur to facilitate the voting process.

Providing details on the electorate, Gupta stated, "Karanpur assembly constituency has a total of 2.40 lakh voters, comprising 1,25,850 men, 1,14,966 women, and 10 transgender voters. Additionally, 180 service voters are also registered", as per PTI.

A total of 12 candidates are in contention for the Karanpur seat.

Voting was held on 199 out of 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan on November 25 last year. The results were subsequently declared on December 8, with the BJP securing victory in 115 seats, while the Congress managed to secure 69 seats.

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