Baytoo Shifted To Barmer; Gudamalani, Dhorimana To Balotra JAISALMER/JAIPUR: In a controversial move, the Rajasthan govt has overnight redrawn the boundaries of the Barmer and Balotra districts, prompting significant administrative shifts and igniting political row over the timing and intent. A revenue department notification dated December 31, which surfaced publicly on the night of January 2, has altered sub-divisions and shifted thousands of voters in a region bordering Pakistan. Under the revised boundaries, the Baytoo sub-division has been transferred from Balotra back to Barmer, while Barmer’s Gudamalani and Dhorimana sub-divisions have been reassigned to Balotra. Following this reorganization, Balotra district now consists of five sub-divisions-Balotra, Sindhari, Siwana, Dhorimana, and Gudamalani-along with nine tehsils and five sub-tehsils. In contrast, Barmer will now include seven sub-divisions-Barmer, Gadra Road, Chohtan, Ramsar, Baytoo, Sedwa, and Sheo-along with eleven tehsils and seven sub-tehsils. The move has drawn attention because it comes just as administrative boundaries have been frozen from Jan 1 due to the Census process, with restrictions continuing until May 2027. Critics allege the govt acted just before the freeze to make the order harder to reverse and to shield it under census-related rules, also linking the reorganisation to future delimitation and electoral calculations. Balotra was carved out of Barmer as a separate district on August 7, 2023, by the previous Congress-led govt. The current BJP-led govt says the latest changes follow fresh recommendations of the Panwar committee, a high-level panel set up to review the 17 new districts and three new divisions created earlier. A revenue department official denied political pressure behind the decision. The notification went viral Friday night, with some initially claiming it appeared edited, before political reactions poured in from both sides. BJP workers celebrated the decision, while Congress members protested and called it anti-people and politically motivated. The boundary shift is expected to affect around 2.5 lakh voters across the impacted tehsils and could reshape local political equations. In Baytoo assembly constituency-Baytoo, Patodi and Gida tehsils-earlier all three were in Balotra; now Baytoo has moved to Barmer while Patodi and Gida remain in Balotra. In Gudamalani assembly-Gudamalani, Dhorimana and Nokhda tehsils-Gudamalani and Dhorimana have moved to Balotra while Nokhda remains with Barmer. Congress MLA Harish Chaudhary, who contests from Baytoo, alleged the tehsils were broken for political purposes and posted a poetic comment on X: “Send me here or send me there. Playing with maps, send me wherever you want. I won’t fear or bow to the changing borders. I stand with my people, send me wherever you want.” Barmer MP Ummeda Ram Beniwal termed the decision a “Tughlaq-like decree,” while former minister Hemaram Chaudhary questioned the practicality of shifting Dhorimana and parts of Gudamalani, saying the changes do not match ground realities or public convenience. He said a peaceful protest is underway in Dhorimana against the state govt’s decision on the Dhorimana and Gudamalani sub-divisions.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos”No Control Over Minority Violence In Bangladesh…”: Former Indian Envoy Slams Yunus Govt“Infamous For His Tour With Anti-National Propaganda”: BJP Rips Rahul Gandhi Over Vietnam VisitInqilab Moncho To March Nationwide Seeking Justice For Sharif Osman Hadi14 Naxals Neutralized In Sukma And Bijapur As Security Forces Launch Anti-Maoist OperationHimachal College Horror: Student Dies After Alleging Sexual Harassment, RaggingIndia Reveals First Vande Bharat Sleeper Offering Faster Overnight Travel On Kolkata-Guwahati LineHindu Businessman Khokon Das, Hacked And Set Ablaze By Mob in Bangladesh, Dies 3 Days After Attack‘Slavery Destroys Heritage’: PM Modi’s Big Message After Unveiling Sacred Buddha Piprahwa RelicsBCCI Asks KKR To Release Bangladesh Player From IPL After Outrage Over Attacks On Hindu MinoritiesGovt Sends Notice To Elon Musk’s X On Grok AI Chatbot Misuse, IT Ministry Seeks Action Report123PhotostoriesHow to make protein-rich Rajma and Soya Kebab for snackingTop 9 cabbage dishes from around the world5 health facts about the world’s number one longevity food5 most photographed natural monuments in the world to explore in 20265 best Indian forests to see wild Asian elephants in JanuaryKrystle D’Souza’s roles that defined her TV career: ‘Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai’ to ‘Belan Wali Bahu’:TV celebrities’ cutest baby name choices: From Bharti Singh-Harsh Limbachiyaa’s Gola to Nakuul Mehta-Jankee Parekh’s Sufi and Rumi8 short and engaging books you can read in a single day8 traditional and comforting Maharashtrian rice dishes that are worth a tryTravel trend 2026: 5 destinations in Asia perfect for slow travel and ‘quietcations’123Hot PicksOperation SindoorVande Bharat Sleeper TrainJanuary Bank holidayGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingSan Francisco 49ersBrittany MahomesNoah Lyles and Junelle Bromfield Net WorthWayne Gretzky Daughter Net WorthSidney Crosby LifestyleLeBron James vs Stephen Curry Net WorthTom BradyLeBron James WifeCam ThomasCharlie Kirk
JAISALMER/JAIPUR: In a controversial move, the Rajasthan govt has overnight redrawn the boundaries of the Barmer and Balotra districts, prompting significant administrative shifts and igniting political row over the timing and intent. A revenue department notification dated December 31, which surfaced publicly on the night of January 2, has altered sub-divisions and shifted thousands of voters in a region bordering Pakistan. Under the revised boundaries, the Baytoo sub-division has been transferred from Balotra back to Barmer, while Barmer’s Gudamalani and Dhorimana sub-divisions have been reassigned to Balotra. Following this reorganization, Balotra district now consists of five sub-divisions-Balotra, Sindhari, Siwana, Dhorimana, and Gudamalani-along with nine tehsils and five sub-tehsils. In contrast, Barmer will now include seven sub-divisions-Barmer, Gadra Road, Chohtan, Ramsar, Baytoo, Sedwa, and Sheo-along with eleven tehsils and seven sub-tehsils. The move has drawn attention because it comes just as administrative boundaries have been frozen from Jan 1 due to the Census process, with restrictions continuing until May 2027. Critics allege the govt acted just before the freeze to make the order harder to reverse and to shield it under census-related rules, also linking the reorganisation to future delimitation and electoral calculations. Balotra was carved out of Barmer as a separate district on August 7, 2023, by the previous Congress-led govt. The current BJP-led govt says the latest changes follow fresh recommendations of the Panwar committee, a high-level panel set up to review the 17 new districts and three new divisions created earlier. A revenue department official denied political pressure behind the decision. The notification went viral Friday night, with some initially claiming it appeared edited, before political reactions poured in from both sides. BJP workers celebrated the decision, while Congress members protested and called it anti-people and politically motivated. The boundary shift is expected to affect around 2.5 lakh voters across the impacted tehsils and could reshape local political equations. In Baytoo assembly constituency-Baytoo, Patodi and Gida tehsils-earlier all three were in Balotra; now Baytoo has moved to Barmer while Patodi and Gida remain in Balotra. In Gudamalani assembly-Gudamalani, Dhorimana and Nokhda tehsils-Gudamalani and Dhorimana have moved to Balotra while Nokhda remains with Barmer. Congress MLA Harish Chaudhary, who contests from Baytoo, alleged the tehsils were broken for political purposes and posted a poetic comment on X: “Send me here or send me there. Playing with maps, send me wherever you want. I won’t fear or bow to the changing borders. I stand with my people, send me wherever you want.” Barmer MP Ummeda Ram Beniwal termed the decision a “Tughlaq-like decree,” while former minister Hemaram Chaudhary questioned the practicality of shifting Dhorimana and parts of Gudamalani, saying the changes do not match ground realities or public convenience. He said a peaceful protest is underway in Dhorimana against the state govt’s decision on the Dhorimana and Gudamalani sub-divisions.
