Punjab local body elections on February 14

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 16

Punjab Election Commission announced the schedule for elections and bye-election of eight municipal corporations and 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats on Saturday.

Voting for local body elections is on February 14 from 8 am to 4 pm, State Election Commissioner Jagpal Singh Sandhu said.

With the announcement of the schedule, the ‘Model Code of Conduct’ has come into  force with immediate effect within the municipal areas of the municipalities where elections will be held.  The Code of Conduct would be in force till the completion of the electoral process.

Sandhu said that the process for filing nominations would commence on 30 January, 2021, and February 3 would be the last date.

The nominations would be scrutinised on February 4, while the date of withdrawal of nominations is February 5, which would also be the date of allotting the election symbols to the candidates. Election Campaigning will end on February 12 at 5 pm.

Votes will be counted on February 17.

Sandhu said 145 returning officers and as many assistant returning officers have been appointed for conducting the elections.  

Thirty IAS/PCS officers would be appointed as election observers and six IPS officers will be appointed as police observers to ensure the peaceful, free, and fair conduct of elections.

 He said that 400 members would be elected for eight municipal corporations and 1,902 members would be elected for 109 municipal councils/nagar panchayats in the state.  Fifty per cent reservation has been given for women in municipal elections, according to Punjab Government’s instructions.

Expenditure limit for a candidate of municipal corporation is Rs 3 lakh; for candidate of municipal council Class-I is Rs.2.70 lakh, Class-II is Rs.1.70 lakh, Class-III is Rs.1.45 lakh and candidates for nagar panchayats is Rs.1.05 lakh.