52mn voters in focus as Raj seals electoral fate in key battle today

Around 52.5 million voters in 199 of the 200 constituencies in Rajasthan will cast their votes on Saturday in assembly elections that will decide whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will come to power in the desert state or if the Congress will buck the province's political tradition of voting out the incumbent.

- Senjuti Sengupta

Polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm across 51,756 polling stations for 52,538,659 voters -27,358,965 men and 25,179,694 women. According to the election commission, 61,021 elderly and disabled people have already cast their votes through home voting, in what is the state's first attempt to provide such a facility.

Chief election officer Praveen Gupta said, "Polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm across 51,756 polling stations for 52,538,659 voters 27,358,965 men and 25,179,694 women.

According to the election commission, 61,021 elderly and disabled people have already cast their votes through home voting, in what is the state's first attempt to provide such a facility."

Due to the death of the Congress candidate and incumbent lawmaker in Sriganganagar's Karanpur seat, Gurmeet Singh Koonar, election in this constituency was adjourned.

Director general of police (DGP) Umesh Mishra called for peaceful elections.