Jaipur, July 10 (IANS) A statewide digital survey of Other Backward Class families began across Rajasthan on Friday, marking a crucial step towards determining OBC reservation for the upcoming Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections.

Conducted through the Rajdhara Survey Mobile App, the exercise aims to gather authentic data that will form the basis for legally compliant reservation of seats in local bodies.

The Rajasthan State Other Backward Classes (Political Representation) Commission has launched the survey across all districts, with fieldwork scheduled to continue until July 23. A total of 51,168 government enumerators will visit households across the state to digitally collect information on the social, educational, economic, and demographic status of OBC families.

The data will help assess political representation and guide the reservation framework for elections to Gram Panchayats, Municipal Bodies, Panchayat Samitis, and Zila Parishads.

The survey is expected to play a decisive role in preparing the revised reservation roster for seats reserved for OBCs in rural and urban local bodies.

The survey comes amid prolonged delays in Rajasthan’s Panchayat and civic body elections. Uncertainty over the election schedule intensified after a contempt petition was filed in the Rajasthan High Court by former MLA Sanyam Lodha regarding compliance with the Court’s earlier direction to hold local body elections by July 31. However, the election process has been delayed due to the absence of updated and reliable data required to determine reservations for OBCs, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and women, in accordance with constitutional provisions and judicial guidelines.

Commission Secretary Ashok Kumar Jain said the primary objective of the digital survey is to generate accurate and up-to-date data on OBC political representation in local bodies. Based on the findings, the Commission will submit recommendations to the state government in line with the directives of the Supreme Court and the Rajasthan High Court, enabling the government to finalise reservation and move ahead with the long-awaited elections.

The survey is being conducted entirely through the Rajdhara Survey Mobile App, allowing enumerators to record household information digitally during their visits.

The Commission will monitor the process online at the state level to ensure transparency, maintain data quality, and minimise discrepancies. To prepare officials for the exercise, training sessions were conducted on July 7 through video conferencing for 82 district-level nodal officers, 765 block-level officers and 1,428 master trainers.

The state government has directed all District Collectors, urban local bodies, and the Panchayati Raj Department to coordinate closely for the smooth completion of the survey.

An Additional District Collector (ADM) has been appointed as the Chief District Coordinator in every district to oversee implementation, provide technical assistance, and resolve operational issues faced by enumerators.

The Commission has also instructed local administrations to address any technical problems immediately, emphasising that there is little scope for extending the July 23 deadline.

As the survey will directly influence reservations in Rajasthan’s Panchayat and urban local body elections, the Commission has appealed to OBC families to provide accurate and authentic information during household visits.

It has also sought cooperation from political parties, elected representatives, social organisations, and citizens to ensure the survey is completed smoothly and without controversy, paving the way for legally compliant local body elections across the state.

–IANS

arc/dpb