VB Election Coverage: Here are all the updates from Rajasthan's Assembly Election 2023
New Delhi: Vote counting for three key states in the heartland and one significant southern state, considered a crucial indicator before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, is set to commence at 8 am. The Mizoram votes, initially scheduled for counting on Sunday, will now take place on Monday following objections raised about the Sunday counting schedule.
In 2018, Rajasthan, known for its alternating support between the Congress and the BJP over the past three decades, delivered an unexpected outcome by preventing either party from securing a majority. The Congress, falling one seat short of the required 101 in the 200-member assembly, managed to form the government with support from Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party.
Here are all the updates from Rajasthan's vote counting for 2023 Assembly Elections:
7:00 PM: Incumbent Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tenders resignation from his post
4:30 pm: The results in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan indicate that the people of India are firmly with politics of good governance and development, which the BJP stands for: PM Modi
4:15 pm: I am a Jansevak (public servant), I will serve the state even without any post, says Ashok Gehlot.
3:40 pm: Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi defeated by BJP's Vishvaraj Singh
3:25 pm: Sources indicate Ashok Gehlot was set to visit Raj Bhavan at 5:30 pm to submit his resignation to Governor.
3:15 pm: Rajasthan assembly election result: Ashok Gehlot wins Sardarpura seat by over 26,000 votes
3:15 pm: BJP has won 12 seats and is leading in 103 more while the Congress has secured 2 seats and is leading in another 67 seats: EC data at 3pm
3:00 pm: BJP candidate Diya Kumari wins Vidhyadhar Nagar assembly seat with margin of 71,368 votes: EC
1:45 pm: Spiritual leader & Alwar MP Mahant Balaknath among frontrunners for Rajasthan CM post
1:20 pm: BJP's Vasundhara Raje, former chief minister of the state, wins from Jhalrapatan
1:00 pm: Rajasthan chief electoral officer Praveen Gupta on Sunday said that 12 to 17 rounds of counting of votes have been completed and the final result is expected to be declared by 1.30pm.
12:40 pm: There will be a change and Congress will win the elections, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari says
12:25 pm: BJP sailing with lead on 111 seats, Congress leading on 73.
12:10 am: Congress spokespersom Supriya Shrinate said results in Rajasthan disappointing for Congress.
11:50 am: Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Vasundra Raje, and Baba Balaknath all maintain leads on their respective seats.
11:35: BJP leading Congress on more than 50 seats now. BJP leading on 114, Congress on 63.
11:20 am: BJP leading on 109 seats in Rajasthan, Congress leads on 71. BSP leads 1, OTH leading on 19.
11:00 am: BJP lead on 108 seats, Congress leads on 69, BSP leads on 2.
10:45 am: BJP leader Satish Poonia - who is contesting against Congress' Prashant Sharma from Amber constituency - trails
10:30 am: Sachin Pilot regains lead in Tonk.
10:15 am: Sachin Pilot still trailing from Tonk, Gehlot maintains lead. Vasundara Raje, Baba Balaknath also leading on their respective seats.
10:10 am: BJP leader Vasundhara Raje is leading from Jhalrapatan with over 7,000 votes
10:00 am: BJP strengthens lead. Goes ahead on 108 seats, Congress leading on 78 seats.
9:45 am: BJP leads on 105, Congress on 79. 3 for BSP and OTH leads on 12.
9:30 am: Congress leader Sachin Pilot loses lead, now trailing on Tonk seat.
9:25 am: BJP extends lead on 107 seats, Congress leading on 77.
9:15 am: BJP crosses magic number in terms of lead. Gains lead on 100 seats.
9:00 am: BJP takes lead on 78 seats, Congress on 72. BSP yet to take lead on any seats, OTH lead on 3.
8:50 am: BJP candidate Baba Balaknath maintains lead on Tijara seat.
8:45 am: Congress, BJP both extend leads on 50+ seats in Rajasthan. BJP leads on 54, Congress on 51.
8:40 am: Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Vasundara Raje all lead on their respective seats.
8:35 am: Congress heavyweight Kamal Nath leads on Chhindwara seat.
8:30 am: Congress leading on 26 seats, BJP in lead on 24 seats.
8:25 am: Congress, BJP neck-to-neck in Rajasthan. Lead on 17, 16 seats respectively.
8:20 am: Congress leads on 14 seats, BJP follows with lead on 13 seats.
8:15 am: BJP leads on 10 seat while Congress maintains pace by leading on another 10 seats in early trends.
8:00 am: Counting of votes begin in Rajasthan.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
