Polls to 3,754 gram panchayats in Himachal to be held on May 26, 28, 30

Himachal Pradesh State Election Commissioner Anil Khachi announced on Tuesday that elections to 3,754 gram panchayats in the state would be held in three phases on May 26, 28 and 30. Around 50.79 lakh voters, including over 25.11 females, more than 25.67 males and 29 other gender would exercise their franchise. Out of the total voters, 52,350 would vote for the first time. Addressing media here, he said that elections would be held for 31,182 posts including 21,654 gram panchayat members, 3,754 pradhans and 3,754 up-pradhans, 1,679 panchayat samiti members and 251 zila parishad members. In these elections, 15,665 posts are reserved for women. There is no reservation for up-pradhan. A total of 2,502 posts are reserved for Schedule Caste (SC), 4,607 for SC women, 713 for Schedule Tribe (ST), 1,216 for ST women, 177 for Other Backward Classes (OBC), 229 for OBC women, 9,604 for women while 12,186 are unreserved. Issuing the election schedule for the election to panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), he said that gram panchayat elections would not be conducted in four panchayats of Karjan, Soyal, Jaban and Namhog in Kullu district as their tenure is set to expire on February 9 next year. However, elections for members of the panchayat samiti and zila parishad are being held in these gram panchayats. According to the schedule for elections in panchayats, filing of nominations will take place on May 7, 8 and 9 between 11 am and 3 pm and the last date of withdrawal of nomination would be May 15. The publication of polling stations will be done on May 7. The result of gram panchayats, pradhan and up-pradhan would be announced the same day while the results of panchayat samiti and zila parishad members would be announced on May 31, Khachi informed. The elections would not be held on party symbols. The model code of conduct came into force in the state from Tuesday. The tenure of the previous panchayats ended on January 31. A total of 21,678 voting centres will be established and auxiliary centres will be set up where the number of voters is high, he said and added that the highest polling station would be at an altitude of 4,567 metres in Government Primary School in Komick in Kaza development block of Lahaul and Spiti district. The maximum number of 4,623 voters is in Bhatawali gram panchayat in Poanta Sahib in Sirmaur district while the least number of voters is in Sumro gram panchayat in Poo area of Kinnaur district. The commission has prescribed expenditure limits for zila parishad candidates, fixing the ceiling at Rs 1 lakh. There is no limit for candidates contesting for any other posts, the state election commissioner added.

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