CHANDIGARH: The elections in 105 local bodies in Punjab, including eight Municipal Corporations, will be held on May 26.
These elections will be a litmus test for the AAP as the stakes are high for the party, keeping in view the upcoming 2027 state assembly polls.
The ruling party is politically on the back foot, with a resurgent BJP and SAD, and a Congress that is still weighing its options. These polls are expected to set the political order for the assembly polls in an electorally charged atmosphere in the state.
It is noteworthy that these urban centres play a crucial role in shaping the political framework, as issues such as infrastructure, sanitation, employment, law and order and civic governance remain hot topics of the discussion, and these issues are expected to have a great influence on the campaigning.
State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhary said that the elections will take place in the eight municipal corporations of Mohali, Bathinda, Abohar, Barnala, Kapurthala, Moga, Batala, and Pathankot and 76 municipal councils and 21 Nagar Panchayats, totalling 2,019 wards across the 105 municipal bodies.
He announced that the nomination process for candidates contesting the elections would begin on May 13 and continue till May 16.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on May 18, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is on May 19.
The total number of registered voters is 36,72,932 (18,98,990 men and 17,73,716 women, 226 other voters). For these elections, 3977 polling stations have been established in the districts.
All political parties would contest the polls on their own election symbol.
The expenditure limit notified by the Commission for a candidate contesting for the post of Municipal Corporation is Rs 4 lakh, Municipal Councils for Class I is Rs 3.60 lakh, Class II is Rs 2.30 lakh, Class III is Rs 2 lakh and for Nagar Panchayat is Rs 1.40 lakh. About 36,000 election personnel and 35,500 police personnel will be deputed on election duty.
Also IAS and PCS Officers would be appointed in each district as observers so as to ensure proper monitoring.
District Security Plan has been prepared under the overall supervision of District Magistrate.
"The commission has made all the arrangements to conduct the elections in a fair, free and peaceful manner. With the announcement of the Election Schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect, in the jurisdiction of all the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats where the elections are to going to be held. It will remain in force till the completion of the electoral process,’’ said Chaudhary.
The elections to Hoshiarpur civic body would not be held immediately due to issues related to the revision of electoral rolls, said Chaudhari and added that the elections in Hoshiarpur are likely to be conducted after four to five months once the electoral roll revision process is completed.
Apart from Hoshiarpur, elections to the Sham Churasi local body have also been withheld.
The decision was taken due to issues concerning the reservation of wards. Ahead of these elections, the Punjab Police have issued transfer orders for 29 officers, including one IPS officer.
The transfers have been made with immediate effect, and all officers have been directed to report to their new postings promptly.
