The Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission has announced the schedule for the panchayat elections 2026, with voting set to take place on May 15 and results declared on May 17. The elections will be held across all 12 districts of the state, covering 3,226 gram panchayats, 154 panchayat samitis, and 12 zila parishads.
Key Dates and Details
According to the Election Commission, the nomination process will begin on April 30 and continue until May 3. Scrutiny of nominations will be held on May 4, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 6. The election campaign will end on May 13. Over 80 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in the three-tier panchayat system.
Voting and Counting
Voting will be conducted from 7 AM to 4 PM on May 15. Counting of votes will take place on May 17, and the entire election process will be completed by May 20. The commission has made arrangements for electronic voting machines (EVMs) and has also ensured that all polling stations have basic facilities like drinking water, electricity, and ramps for disabled voters.
Reservation and Seats
The state government has announced reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the panchayat elections. A total of 75,000 seats are up for grabs, including 25,000 for SC, 10,000 for ST, and 15,000 for OBC candidates. The remaining seats will be open for general category candidates.
Security and Preparations
The Election Commission has deployed adequate security forces to ensure peaceful polling. Micro-observers and video surveillance will be used at sensitive polling stations. The commission has also set up a control room for grievance redressal.
Chief Electoral Officer Manish Garg said that all necessary arrangements have been made to conduct free and fair elections. He urged voters to exercise their franchise responsibly.
