JAIPUR, Aug. 27 -- Nominations for elections to urban local bodies across Rajasthan will open on Thursday, leaving candidates with only three working days - August 27, 29 and 31 - to file their papers. The process will begin with district election officers issuing public notices. Preparations have been completed across the state. The State Election Commission has scheduled nominations from August 27 to 31. However, August 28 is Raksha Bandhan and August 30 is a Sunday, leaving only three days for candidates to submit nomination papers. Elections will be held in 309 urban local bodies across Rajasthan, including 10 municipal corporations, 47 municipal councils and 253 municipalities. The polls will cover 10,245 wards statewide. The commission has also changed the polling dates for Pali Municipal Corporation and Fatehpur Municipal Council in Sikar district, citing religious sentiments and public convenience. In Jaipur Municipal Corporation, the district election branch has set up 15 returning officer (RO) offices to receive nomination papers. With 150 wards in the civic body, one RO office has been assigned to every 10 wards. Candidates will submit their papers at the designated offices. Training for personnel deployed for the civic elections began on Wednesday. In Jaipur district, 13,076 presiding and polling officers will undergo training in two sessions to conduct elections across all urban local bodies. With the election process under way, both the Congress and the BJP have stepped up preparations for ticket distribution after receiving a large number of applications from aspirants. The Congress, which invited applications online through QR codes for the first time, has received more than 36,000 applications across Rajasthan, including 1,350 from Jaipur. The party extended the application deadline to August 26 and expects the total to rise to about 60,000. Across the state's 10,245 wards, between two and 10 aspirants have reportedly applied for tickets in each ward. For mayoral posts in major cities, including Jaipur, about four to five names are expected to be shortlisted. The Congress has ruled out an alliance with other parties for the civic elections and said 50% of tickets would be given to young candidates. The BJP has received more than 45,000 applications for councillor tickets, with the 150 wards of Jaipur Municipal Corporation attracting the highest number of aspirants in the state. The party's election management committee met at its state office and reviewed the applications. District units have been asked to provide ward-wise feedback on each aspirant, including local standing, organisational work and chances of winning. Party leaders said local political equations would play an important role in selecting candidates....