Welcome to the Ujiyari Rajasthan Current Affairs notes for 11 September 2026, prepared for the RPSC RAS Prelims and Mains and other Rajasthan government examinations. Rajasthan voted in the second and final phase of its statewide Urban Local Body (ULB) elections on Friday, with 147 civic bodies including the six largest municipal corporations of Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali going to the polls. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma cast his vote along with his wife at a polling station in Getor, Jagatpura, in the morning and urged citizens to participate. The Rajasthan State Election Commission announced that Phase 1 on 9 September had recorded a final voter turnout of 76.41 per cent across 162 ULBs, with counting for both phases scheduled for 14 September. The polling is being conducted at 9,758 stations across 4,852 wards for approximately 87.6 lakh voters in Phase 2. Separately, the state government marked the arrival of a late-monsoon spell over eastern Rajasthan by activating flood-preparedness protocols in Bharatpur, Alwar and Dholpur, and the forest department began its annual pre-winter survey at the Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur for arriving migratory waterbirds. Each item carries a Prelims fact set and a Mains angle, followed by five practice MCQs.

1. Rajasthan ULB Phase 2 Polling: 147 Bodies, Six Largest Corporations Vote

Why in News: Phase 2 of Rajasthan’s statewide Urban Local Body (ULB) elections was held on 11 September 2026 across 147 ULBs, including the state’s six largest municipal corporations of Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali. Polling opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 6 p.m., with approximately 87.6 lakh eligible voters distributed across 9,758 polling stations and 4,852 wards. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma cast his vote at a polling station in Getor, Jagatpura in Jaipur in the morning and urged citizens to turn out in numbers.

Scale of Phase 2. The 147 ULBs in Phase 2 comprise 6 municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils and 121 municipalities. Jodhpur city alone accounted for around 7.12 lakh voters at 729 polling booths with 385 candidates in the fray. The election is being conducted by the Rajasthan State Election Commission under Article 243ZA of the Constitution.

Phase 1 turnout, statewide totals. The State Election Commission announced that Phase 1 on 9 September 2026, across 162 ULBs in 39 districts, recorded a final voter turnout of 76.41 per cent. The commission has set a target of 86 per cent turnout for the 2026 ULB elections. Statewide, the polls cover 309 ULBs (10 corporations, 47 councils, 252 municipalities). Counting for both phases is on 14 September 2026 from 8 a.m.

Why this matters for RPSC. Simultaneous statewide ULB polling is a governance experiment: it compresses logistics into a two-phase exercise and reduces the compounding cost of separate multi-year cycles. It is likely to attract questions on the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, the State Election Commission, and the reservation architecture under Part IX-A of the Constitution.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Phase 2 of Rajasthan ULB polls on 11 September 2026 covered 147 ULBs, including the six municipal corporations of Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali.
  • Prelims: Approximately 87.6 lakh voters, 9,758 polling stations, 4,852 wards; Phase 1 turnout (9 September) was 76.41 per cent.
  • Prelims: The election is conducted by the Rajasthan State Election Commission under Article 243ZA (Part IX-A, added by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992).
  • Prelims: Counting for both phases is on 14 September 2026 from 8 a.m.; statewide total: 309 ULBs (10 corporations, 47 councils, 252 municipalities).
  • Prelims: Part IX-A of the Constitution runs from Article 243P to Article 243ZG; it mandates elections every 5 years and reservation for SC/ST and not less than one-third seats for women.
  • Mains: Simultaneous ULB elections as governance reform in a large multi-district state; the interplay between fiscal devolution and elected urban leadership; the persistent underperformance of urban local bodies despite the 74th Amendment’s intent (GS2 local governance).

2. CM Bhajanlal Sharma Casts Vote at Getor Jagatpura, Urges Turnout

Why in News: Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma cast his vote along with his wife at a polling station in Getor, Jagatpura, Jaipur on the morning of 11 September 2026, in the second phase of the Rajasthan ULB elections. Speaking to reporters after voting, the Chief Minister said the ULB election was a “festival of democracy at the doorstep” and appealed to voters, particularly first-time voters, to exercise their franchise.

Where Getor Jagatpura sits. Getor, in the Jagatpura area, is part of the Sanganer segment on the southeast periphery of Jaipur city. It falls within the Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation or Jaipur Greater Municipal Corporation area depending on ward delimitation, which for the 2026 election was reorganised by the Rajasthan State Election Commission.

Voting-day protocols. As in Phase 1, Phase 2 uses the same architecture: Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) without VVPATs at the ward level (as is standard for ULB elections conducted by State Election Commissions), photo-based electoral rolls, and web-casting at sensitive booths. The Rajasthan Police and Home Guards were deployed for booth security.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: CM Bhajanlal Sharma cast his vote at Getor, Jagatpura in Jaipur on 11 September 2026.
  • Prelims: Getor is on the southeast periphery of Jaipur, within the Sanganer segment; Jaipur has two municipal corporations post-2019 bifurcation, Jaipur Heritage and Jaipur Greater.
  • Prelims: ULB polls in India use State Election Commissions distinct from the Election Commission of India; SECs are constituted under Article 243K for panchayats and Article 243ZA for municipalities.
  • Prelims: Voting hours for the Rajasthan ULB election were 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Prelims: Bhajanlal Sharma took oath as Chief Minister of Rajasthan in December 2023 after the BJP’s win in the 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election (115 of 200 seats).
  • Mains: The Chief Minister’s public participation in ULB polls as a signal of decentralisation priority; distinguishing SEC-conducted urban polls from ECI-conducted parliamentary and assembly polls in terms of technology and administrative practice (GS2 constitutional bodies).

3. Rajasthan SEC’s Turnout Target and the 76.41 Per Cent Phase 1 Benchmark

Why in News: The Rajasthan State Election Commission on 11 September 2026 confirmed that Phase 1 of the ULB elections, held on 9 September 2026 across 162 ULBs in 39 districts, recorded a final voter turnout of 76.41 per cent, against the commission’s target of 86 per cent for the 2026 ULB cycle overall. The commission acknowledged that the Phase 2 result on 11 September would need to lift the average, and rolled out targeted awareness measures.

How the turnout stacks up. Rajasthan’s Phase 1 turnout of 76.41 per cent is higher than the national average urban turnout in general elections (typically 55 to 65 per cent) and reflects a distinctive pattern in state-conducted local body polls, which typically see higher engagement due to constituency size and neighbourhood-level candidacy. Phase 2 covers the six large corporations (Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer, Udaipur, Pali), whose historical urban turnout tends to be lower than mofussil municipalities.

Composition of the ULBs. Statewide, the 309 ULBs are governed by the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009, which classifies bodies into Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipalities, based on population and revenue benchmarks. The Municipal Chairperson is directly elected in Rajasthan (a departure from the two-tier election system used in some other states).

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Rajasthan ULB Phase 1 (9 September 2026) turnout was 76.41 per cent across 162 ULBs; the State Election Commission’s target for the cycle is 86 per cent.
  • Prelims: The governing legislation is the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009, which classifies ULBs as Municipal Corporations, Councils and Municipalities.
  • Prelims: In Rajasthan, the Chairperson (Mayor for corporations, Sabhapati for councils, Adhyaksh for municipalities) is directly elected.
  • Prelims: Statewide, Rajasthan has 309 ULBs: 10 corporations, 47 councils, 252 municipalities.
  • Prelims: The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 added Part IX-A (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the 12th Schedule listing 18 subjects for urban local government.
  • Mains: Direct election of chairpersons versus indirect election: the trade-off between accountability and coalition stability in ULB governance; measurement of urban turnout and what it reveals about civic engagement with local government (GS2 governance).

4. Late-Monsoon Rain Alert Across Eastern Rajasthan: Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur

Why in News: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a rain alert on 11 September 2026 covering eastern Rajasthan, including Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur and Kota districts, driven by a westward-moving low-pressure area over central India. The Rajasthan Water Resources Department and district disaster management authorities were placed on alert, with standard operating procedures for flood preparedness activated in the Chambal-Banas-Ken sub-basins.

The eastern Rajasthan rainfall geography. Eastern Rajasthan, including the Aravalli’s eastern flank, is climatologically wetter than the western desert districts. Districts like Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi and Sawai Madhopur receive 700 to 1,000 mm annual rainfall, compared with under 200 mm in Jaisalmer and Barmer. This gradient is why the state’s water resources planning has historically focused on the Chambal Basin (through the Chambal Valley Development Project with MP and UP), the Banas (main tributary of the Chambal, entirely within Rajasthan), and the Mahi in the south.

Why this matters for RPSC. Rajasthan’s water geography, its dependence on inter-state agreements (Chambal, Ravi-Beas, Yamuna, Narmada) and its Aravalli-driven drainage divide are recurring themes in RPSC papers.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: On 11 September 2026, the IMD placed eastern Rajasthan districts (Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Kota) under rain alert.
  • Prelims: The driver was a westward-moving low-pressure area over central India, feeding late-monsoon rainfall.
  • Prelims: The Chambal river is the largest tributary of the Yamuna and originates from Janapav Hills in the Mhow area (MP); the Banas is the largest tributary of the Chambal that lies entirely in Rajasthan.
  • Prelims: Rajasthan’s rainfall gradient runs from under 200 mm in Jaisalmer/Barmer to 700-1,000 mm in Jhalawar/Baran; the state’s average annual rainfall is roughly 530 mm.
  • Prelims: The Aravalli range acts as a drainage divide separating Luni-drainage (west) from Chambal-Banas-Mahi (east).
  • Mains: The role of the Aravalli in shaping Rajasthan’s climatology and drainage; late-monsoon revivals as both an agricultural opportunity (rabi soil moisture) and a flash-flood risk in the Chambal ravines (GS1 geography, GS3 disaster management).

5. Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur: Pre-Winter Survey for Migratory Waterbirds

Why in News: The Rajasthan Forest Department on 11 September 2026 began the annual pre-winter survey at the Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, ahead of the arrival of migratory waterbirds along the Central Asian Flyway. Field teams began counting resident populations, mapping water depth in the wetland cells, and cataloguing invasive vegetation removal for the 2026-27 wintering season.

About Keoladeo. The Keoladeo National Park, formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is a man-made wetland developed by Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur in the 18th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and a Ramsar site since 1981. It hosts more than 370 bird species, and is the classic wintering ground of the Siberian crane (last confirmed sighting 2001-02), the Sarus crane, greater and lesser flamingos, painted storks, spoonbills, and multiple duck species.

Central Asian Flyway and India’s obligations. India adopted the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) National Action Plan in 2018 for the conservation of migratory birds; Rajasthan is a critical link in the CAF because of the confluence of wetlands (Keoladeo, Sambhar Salt Lake, Talab-e-Shahi) and the semi-arid grassland-scrub systems that provide stopover habitat.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: The Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1985) and a Ramsar site (1981); it is a man-made wetland built by Maharaja Suraj Mal.
  • Prelims: The park hosts more than 370 bird species; the Siberian crane was its flagship winter visitor, last confirmed sighted 2001-02.
  • Prelims: India’s Central Asian Flyway (CAF) National Action Plan was adopted in 2018.
  • Prelims: Other Rajasthan Ramsar sites include the Sambhar Salt Lake (designated 1990); the Sambhar is India’s largest inland saline lake.
  • Prelims: Rajasthan’s state bird is the Great Indian Bustard (Godawan); its habitat conservation programme is centred at Desert National Park, Jaisalmer.
  • Mains: Man-made wetlands as biodiversity infrastructure and the challenge of restoring the natural water regime; India’s role in the Central Asian Flyway; the linkage between wetland conservation and pilgrimage/tourism revenue in the Golden Triangle circuit (GS3 environment).

Practice MCQs

1. Phase 2 of Rajasthan’s Urban Local Body elections on 11 September 2026 correctly covers which of the following?

a) 162 ULBs across 39 districts, including the four corporations of Bharatpur, Alwar, Bikaner and Bhilwara b) All 309 ULBs simultaneously, in a single-day poll c) 147 ULBs including the six municipal corporations of Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali, with counting scheduled for 14 September 2026 d) Only 6 municipal corporations, with rural bodies scheduled separately in October

Answer: c

Explanation: Phase 2 of the Rajasthan ULB elections was held on 11 September 2026 across 147 ULBs, comprising 6 municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils and 121 municipalities. The six municipal corporations in Phase 2 are Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali. Polling was held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. across 9,758 stations serving approximately 87.6 lakh voters in 4,852 wards. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma cast his vote at Getor, Jagatpura in Jaipur. Phase 1 on 9 September had covered 162 ULBs in 39 districts (four corporations: Bharatpur, Alwar, Bikaner and Bhilwara) with a final turnout of 76.41 per cent. Counting for both phases is scheduled for 14 September 2026 from 8 a.m. Statewide there are 309 ULBs (10 corporations, 47 councils, 252 municipalities), conducted by the Rajasthan State Election Commission under Article 243ZA.

2. The constitutional and legal framework governing Rajasthan’s ULB elections is correctly identified as which of the following?

a) The Election Commission of India under Article 324, using the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 b) The Rajasthan State Election Commission under Article 243ZA, with Part IX-A of the Constitution (Articles 243P to 243ZG) added by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 c) The Governor of Rajasthan under Article 155, with the district collector as the returning officer d) The Ministry of Panchayati Raj under a central legislation applicable uniformly to all states

Answer: b

Explanation: The Rajasthan ULB elections are conducted by the Rajasthan State Election Commission under Article 243ZA of the Constitution. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 added Part IX-A (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the 12th Schedule to the Constitution, providing constitutional status to urban local bodies and mandating elections every five years, reservation for SC/ST and not less than one-third seats for women. State Election Commissions are distinct from the Election Commission of India, which is constituted under Article 324 and conducts elections to Parliament and state legislatures. The Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009 is the state legislation governing the composition, powers and functioning of Rajasthan’s ULBs, classifying them into Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipalities. Rajasthan follows direct election of chairpersons at all three levels.

3. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma cast his vote on 11 September 2026 at a polling station in which locality of Jaipur, and what is his tenure position?

a) At Malviya Nagar; he took oath in June 2024 following the Rajasthan by-elections b) At Getor, Jagatpura on the southeast periphery of Jaipur; he took oath as Rajasthan Chief Minister in December 2023 c) At Amer, on the northern edge of Jaipur; he took oath as Rajasthan Chief Minister in December 2024 d) At Bani Park; he was elected Chief Minister on 8 September 2026 following an internal party reshuffle

Answer: b

Explanation: Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma cast his vote along with his wife at a polling station in Getor, Jagatpura, on the southeast periphery of Jaipur, on the morning of 11 September 2026. Getor is part of the Sanganer segment and lies within the Jaipur Heritage or Jaipur Greater Municipal Corporation area depending on ward delimitation. Bhajanlal Sharma took oath as Chief Minister of Rajasthan in December 2023 following the BJP’s win in the 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election, in which the party secured 115 of the 200 assembly seats. Jaipur has two municipal corporations after the 2019 bifurcation: Jaipur Heritage and Jaipur Greater. Voting hours were 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and counting is on 14 September.

4. Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, where the pre-winter migratory-bird survey began on 11 September 2026, is correctly described by which of the following?

a) A natural wetland formed by the confluence of the Banas and Chambal rivers, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 b) A tiger reserve notified in 1974 as part of Project Tiger, located along the Chambal ravines c) A man-made wetland developed by Maharaja Suraj Mal in the 18th century, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and a Ramsar site in 1981, hosting over 370 bird species d) A grassland habitat conserved primarily for the Great Indian Bustard, located inside the Desert National Park

Answer: c

Explanation: Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is a man-made wetland developed by Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur in the 18th century. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and a Ramsar site in 1981, and hosts more than 370 bird species, including greater and lesser flamingos, painted storks, spoonbills, ducks and the Sarus crane. Its flagship winter visitor, the Siberian crane, was last confirmed sighted at Keoladeo in 2001-02. The Rajasthan Forest Department began the annual pre-winter survey on 11 September 2026, ahead of the migratory season along the Central Asian Flyway, for which India adopted the CAF National Action Plan in 2018. The Sambhar Salt Lake (designated Ramsar site 1990) is Rajasthan’s other prominent Ramsar site and India’s largest inland saline lake. The Great Indian Bustard, Rajasthan’s state bird, is centred on the Desert National Park at Jaisalmer.

5. Regarding Rajasthan’s drainage and rainfall geography as reflected in the 11 September 2026 IMD alert, which of the following is correct?

a) The Aravalli range acts as a drainage divide; the Chambal river originates from Janapav Hills in the Mhow area of MP, and its largest tributary within Rajasthan is the Banas b) The Aravalli range channels all Rajasthan rivers into the Yamuna basin; no river in Rajasthan drains into the Rann of Kutch c) The Chambal originates in the Aravalli near Ajmer and flows entirely through Rajasthan into Gujarat d) Rajasthan’s average annual rainfall of 1,200 mm makes it the wettest desert state in the world

Answer: a

Explanation: The Aravalli range acts as a drainage divide in Rajasthan, separating the Luni basin (west of the Aravalli, ultimately draining into the Rann of Kutch) from the Chambal-Banas-Mahi basin (east and south of the Aravalli, draining to the Ganga system via the Yamuna, or to the Arabian Sea via the Mahi). The Chambal river originates from Janapav Hills in the Mhow area of Madhya Pradesh, flows through Rajasthan and UP and joins the Yamuna. The Banas is the largest tributary of the Chambal lying entirely within Rajasthan. Rajasthan’s rainfall gradient runs from under 200 mm in western districts (Jaisalmer, Barmer) to 700-1,000 mm in the southeast (Jhalawar, Baran), with a state average of about 530 mm. The IMD’s 11 September 2026 alert covered eastern Rajasthan districts (Bharatpur, Alwar, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Kota), driven by a westward-moving low-pressure area over central India.