JAIPUR, Rajasthan — Rajasthan has postponed the reservation lottery for upcoming panchayati raj elections by a month, giving aspiring candidates and political parties additional time to wait for clarity on seat reservations.

The reservation lottery for district council members, panchayat samiti members and pradhans will now be held on Sept. 17, 2026, while the lottery for sarpanchs and ward panchs will be conducted on Sept. 18 at the sub-division level. The process was earlier scheduled for Aug. 17 and 18.

The delay means candidates preparing to contest local elections will have to wait until September to know whether their constituencies will be reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, women or remain open.

Election Schedule Behind Delay

The Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj said the state government is committed to completing elections to urban local bodies and panchayati raj institutions by Nov. 15, 2026.

According to the department, the State Election Commission has indicated before the High Court that elections to urban local bodies are likely to be conducted in the first phase, followed by panchayati raj elections in the second phase.

The reservation lottery for panchayati raj institutions has therefore been rescheduled in view of the likely sequence of elections.

District Chiefs' Lottery Already Held

An important stage of the reservation process was completed Aug. 13, when the reservation lottery for district chief positions was conducted.

The next major stage will be held Sept. 17, when reservations for district council members, panchayat samiti members and pradhan positions will be determined. The following day, Sept. 18, reservations for sarpanch and ward panch positions will be finalized.

Urban Body Ward Lottery on Monday

Meanwhile, the reservation lottery for 10,245 wards in 309 urban local bodies across Rajasthan will be conducted Monday, Aug. 17.

The lottery will determine reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, along with women’s reservation, in the respective urban wards.

The postponement of the panchayati raj reservation lottery has intensified political discussions in rural Rajasthan. Potential candidates who have already begun preparing for the elections will now have to wait until September for a clearer picture of the electoral landscape.

Once the Sept. 17-18 lotteries are completed, the reservation status of local constituencies is expected to bring greater clarity and accelerate election-related activity across the state.