Less than 10 months ahead of Punjab’s Assembly elections, 7,555 candidates are set to participate in the state’s municipal elections on Tuesday. The voting will be conducted using ballot papers, with the counting scheduled for May 29. Among the candidates, 1,801 are from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 1,550 from the main opposition Congress, 1,316 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 1,251 from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), 96 from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 1,528 running as Independents, and 13 others.
The State Election Commission has ensured all necessary arrangements for the elections to proceed smoothly and fairly. In the lead-up to the municipal elections, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed a PIL challenging the Election Commission’s decision to switch from electronic voting machines (EVMs) to ballot papers. The court rejected the plea, citing that any intervention at that stage would disrupt the advanced election process.
State BJP President Sunil Jakhar cautioned against any unlawful tactics in the local body elections, warning that Punjab would not succumb to AAP’s pressure strategies. He criticized AAP’s statements hinting at unfair practices to secure victory, labeling them as signs of the government’s desperation and fear of defeat.
Following a recent notification, the Election Commission has announced the election dates for municipal councils in Dinanagar, Gurdaspur, Qadian, and Sham Chaurasi. Nomination filing will commence on May 28 and end on June 1, with scrutiny on June 2 and withdrawal by June 3. The elections for these councils are scheduled for June 10, with counting to follow immediately after polling. The Model Code of Conduct is now in effect in the respective Municipal Council jurisdictions until the election process concludes.
