(Box added)Kota: A 46-year-old assistant engineer posted in Kota Thermal Power Station and serving as Returning Officer in the sarpanch election in Kukdakhurd gram panchayat under Modak police station in Kota district allegedly died of a heart attack during counting of votes on Friday night.The deceased returning officer was identified as Suresh Meena (46), a native of Kanwas area in the district, presently living with family in Kota and posted as AEN at Kota Thermal Power Station, who was serving as the Returning Officer (RO) during the sarpanch election in Kukrakhurd Gram Panchayat on Friday.According to the police, while the counting of votes was underway on Friday night, Meena suddenly collapsed from dizziness. The police personnel present on the spot immediately administered CPR to him and rushed him to Modak Hospital, where doctors, after primary medical aid, referred him to SRG hospital, Jhalawar. The doctors administered CPR to him and electric shocks around 9 pm; however, he could not be saved.Following the emergency, counting was briefly disrupted before the reserve returning officer and other staff resumed the process, ultimately declaring the results late at night with Sandeep Singh elected as sarpanch by a margin of 195 votes.Meena’s body was later brought to New Medical College Hospital in Kota for post-mortem procedure, which was conducted on Saturday morning; subsequently, the body was handed over to family members for last rites.SHO Rajendra Prasad Meena of Modak police station said the police lodged a case under a relevant section of BNSS for investigation to ascertain the actual cause of death.Meena is survived by his wife, a homemaker, and two children.Pic – Suresh MeenaBoxRepoll in Jodhpur gram panchayat on Nov 2 over alleged vote theftJaipur: Repolling for the sarpanch and ward panch posts will be held in Bhavi gram panchayat of Bilara panchayat samiti in Jodhpur district on Nov 2 following allegations of vote theft and law-and-order issues during polling at booth number 12. The election for the up-sarpanch post in Bhavi gram panchayat, originally scheduled for Oct 31, has consequently been rescheduled to Nov 3.District Election Officer and Jodhpur collector Alok Ranjan issued orders for the repoll, clarifying that elections in eight wards where candidates were elected unopposed would not be held again. Ranjan told TOI FIRs have been lodged in the matter and cases registered. “Even though allegations of vote theft were reported from one polling booth, election was affected in all the booths of the gram panchayat. Hence, repoll will be held in the entire GP,” he said.Meanwhile, voting for the up-sarpanch posts was held on Saturday in 3,625 gram panchayats in the second phase of Rajasthan’s panchayat elections. Counting for the sarpanch and ward panch elections continued till late Friday night, with results declared across the state.In a major setback for former minister Shambhu Singh Khetasar, his wife Badan Kanwar lost the sarpanch election in Khetasar gram panchayat of Osian panchayat samiti in Jodhpur. She was defeated by Heera Devi Prajapat by 173 votes. While Heera Devi secured 885 votes, Badan Kanwar polled 712. Badan Kanwar had also served as a pradhan.In another notable result, Padma Shri awardee Shyamsundar Paliwal lost the sarpanch election in Piplantri gram panchayat of Rajsamand district by 492 votes. Younger candidate Naveen Paliwal won the election with 1,348 votes. Shyamsundar Paliwal received the Padma Shri in 2021 for his work in transforming Piplantri.
