The Punjab State Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule for civic body elections across the state, setting voting for May 26 and counting of votes for May 29. The elections will cover 105 urban local bodies, including eight municipal corporations, 76 municipal councils, and 21 nagar panchayats, marking one of the largest municipal electoral exercises in the state.

State Election Commissioner Dr Raj Kamal Chaudhuri said that polling will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. across all designated urban polling stations. He added that extensive arrangements have been made to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections. Authorities also confirmed that security forces and administrative officials have been deployed to maintain law and order during the election process.

The nomination process will begin on May 13 and continue until May 16, with candidates required to submit their papers in person between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the offices of returning officers. Officials clarified that online submission of nomination papers will not be permitted, though election-related information and candidate details will be made available through an online public portal.

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Scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled for May 18, during which candidates and their representatives will be allowed to raise objections before returning officers. The final date for withdrawal of nominations has been set for May 19, after which poll symbols will be allotted to contesting candidates. Candidates will also be required to submit affidavits along with their nomination documents as part of the mandatory process.

Authorities said that approximately 3,977 polling stations will be set up across urban areas for the elections. Around 36.72 lakh voters are eligible to participate in the civic polls. In view of the scale of the exercise, more than 35,000 Punjab Police personnel will be deployed to ensure security, while senior IAS and PCS officers will oversee arrangements in different districts.

With the announcement of the schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect across all concerned urban local bodies in Punjab. The state government has been instructed to adhere to election guidelines, restricting administrative transfers and policy decisions in the poll-bound areas. Officials also confirmed that videography and CCTV surveillance will be used extensively to ensure transparency throughout the nomination and voting process.

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