Shimla: Voting for the first phase of panchayati raj elections in Himachal Pradesh will be held on Tuesday across 1,293 gram panchayats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging interference by the Congress-led state government in the electoral process. Polling will be conducted through ballot papers from 7 am to 3 pm. The elections are being held in three phases — on May 26, 28, and 30 — for a total of 3,745 gram panchayats across the state.
Voting Process
Each voter will cast five separate votes to elect a ward member, vice-pradhan, pradhan, panchayat samiti member, and zila parishad member. Results for panch, pradhan, and up-pradhan posts will be declared immediately after polling in each phase, while counting for panchayat samiti and zila parishad seats will take place after all three phases conclude. Final results are scheduled to be declared on May 31.
Poll Arrangements
The election commission has appealed to voters to participate fearlessly and reject inducements during the electoral process. A total of 21,678 polling stations have been set up statewide, including 3,554 sensitive and 1,585 highly sensitive booths. Security measures have been tightened to ensure a smooth and fair voting process.
BJP Allegations
Ahead of polling, a BJP delegation led by state president Rajeev Bindal and leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and submitted a memorandum alleging government interference in panchayat and urban local body elections. The BJP alleged that the Congress government amended rules related to reservations and the election of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons after the poll process had begun, aiming to benefit Congress-backed groups. The party also accused the government of violating the model code of conduct by announcing development funds during election rallies and exerting administrative pressure on elected representatives.
The BJP has demanded a fair and transparent election process, urging the governor to intervene and ensure that the elections are conducted without any undue influence from the ruling party.
