Jaipur/Ajmer/Barmer, Oct. 29 -- Voting took place across 22 districts of Rajasthan on Wednesday in the second phase of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, covering 352 Zila Parishad wards and 2,197 Panchayat Samiti wards even as polling boycotts and EVM malfunctions were reported at several locations. The 3 pm polling update put overall turnout at 49.27%. A district-wise comparison, based on simple averages of the percentages reported by the participating Panchayat Samitis, placed Barmer highest at 57.71%, followed by Udaipur at 56.94%, Banswara at 56.87%, Bikaner at 55.67% and Kota at 55.52%. Pali recorded the lowest average at 43.51%, followed by Bhilwara at 43.92%, Jalore at 44.28%, Dungarpur at 44.40% and Sikar at 44.86%. These calculated averages are not electorate-weighted district turnout figures. Jodhpur, which had the largest number of participating Panchayat Samitis at 17, recorded an average of 54.79%. The averages stood at 52.91% in Jhalawar, 52.75% in Nagaur, 51.94% in Kotputli-Behror, 50.81% in Alwar and 50.76% in Dausa. Jaipur recorded 49.71%, Jhunjhunu 48.15%, Karauli 47.95%, Sirohi 47.76%, Ajmer 46% and Rajsamand 45.16%. Among individual panchayat samitis, Devla in Udaipur recorded the highest turnout at 65.41%, followed by Kotra in the same district at 64.19%, Batadoo in Barmer at 63.59%, Beethnok in Bikaner at 62.84% and Samrau in Jodhpur at 61.35%. Aspur in Dungarpur recorded the lowest turnout at 38.62%, followed by Desuri in Pali at 38.86%, Sabla in Dungarpur at 39.95%, Buhana in Jhunjhunu at 40.23% and Phooliya Kalan in Bhilwara at 40.70%. Among prominent voters, minister Jhabar Singh Kharra cast his vote in Bharani village in Sikar. Minister Jogaram Patel, the MLA from Luni, voted in elections for Ward 17 of the Jodhpur Zila Parishad and Ward 2 of the Luni Panchayat Samiti. Minister of state Otaram Dewasi voted in Mundara, Pali, while Jalore-Sirohi MP Lumbaram Choudhary voted in Wadeli in Sirohi Panchayat Samiti area. In Jhalawar, district election officer Ajay Singh Rathore suspended four polling personnel at Salotia in Jhalrapatan Panchayat Samiti for leaving their polling station without permission. Polling boycotts were reported in several districts. In Patan village of Silora Panchayat Samiti in Ajmer's Kishangarh area, villagers boycotted voting and protested outside the polling booth. Union MoS Bhagirath Choudhary said action had been initiated and recommendations made regarding their grievances. Residents of Karanpur village in Pipalkheda Gram Panchayat in Dausa's Mahwa area boycotted polling over delimitation. Villagers in Singarli Kheda in Sirohi's Revdar Panchayat Samiti protested against panchayat reorganisation. EVM malfunctions interrupted voting for periods ranging from 15 minutes to two hours at several booths in Jodhpur, Ajmer, Dausa, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Pali and Dungarpur. Meanwhile, burnt ballot papers were reportedly found about 200 metres from a polling booth in Runiya Barada Gram Panchayat in Bhilwara's Jahazpur Panchayat Samiti, where sarpanch elections were held on October 24. Jahazpur police station in-charge Dayaram said "They were unsealed and appeared, on preliminary examination, to be discarded portions of ballot papers." He said the position would become clear after probe....