Jaipur, Sep 26 (IANS) The election result for the Khatushyamji Municipality in Sikar district was declared on Saturday, with Congress candidate Vinita Poonia elected as the Municipality Chairperson by a margin of just one vote.

The counting of the 19 votes cast on September 21 began at the municipal office at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Congress's Vinita Poonia secured 10 votes, while BJP candidate Prem Devi received 9 votes. Congress supporters celebrated after Poonia was declared the winner. The ballot box containing the 19 votes was brought from the strongroom to the municipal office in compliance with an order of the Rajasthan High Court.

The ballot box was retrieved in the presence of Returning Officer (RO) Kapil Upadhyay, ASP Deepak Garg, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Jangid, other police officials and Congress candidate Vinita Poonia.

Tight security arrangements were made during the process. BJP candidate Prem Devi did not reach the strongroom. The counting of the 19 votes subsequently began at 10 a.m. With 10 votes, Poonia defeated Prem Devi by one vote and was declared the Chairperson of Khatushyamji Municipality. The result followed an order of the Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court on September 24.

Vinita Poonia, a councillor from Ward 11 and a candidate for the Chairperson's post, had approached the court. The court cancelled the re-polling that had been scheduled for September 25 and directed the authorities to count the 19 votes cast on September 21 and declare the result. Following the court's directions, the Returning Officer conducted the counting on Saturday, bringing the election process to a conclusion.

The Khatushyamji Municipality has a 20-member board, comprising 8 BJP councillors, 8 Congress councillors, three independents and one RLP councillor.

Of the 20 councillors, 19 cast their votes in the September 21 election for Chairperson. Lakshmi, the Congress councillor from Ward 10, did not turn up to vote.

Police had located Lakshmi following a complaint filed by her husband, Harlal. After voting concluded on September 21, the ballot box containing the 19 votes was sealed and placed in safe custody. Following the High Court's directions, those votes were counted on Saturday, resulting in Vinita Poonia's election as Chairperson by a one-vote margin.

--IANS

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