Himachal Pradesh News
Mandi Panchayat Elections 2026: Over 14,600 Nomination Papers Filed Across District in Massive Democratic Participation
The nomination process for the upcoming Panchayati Raj Institution elections in Mandi concluded on Monday with a remarkable turnout from candidates across all categories. According to district authorities, a total of 14,648 nomination papers were submitted during the three-day filing process, reflecting strong grassroots political participation across rural areas.
The nomination process for the upcoming Panchayati Raj Institution elections in Mandi concluded on Monday with a remarkable turnout from candidates across all categories. According to district authorities, a total of 14,648 nomination papers were submitted during the three-day filing process, reflecting strong grassroots political participation across rural areas.
Officials confirmed that the final day witnessed the highest activity, with 6,606 nomination papers filed alone. The large number of candidates has highlighted growing public interest in local governance and village-level leadership ahead of the elections.
Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Apoorv Devgan said the nomination process remained smooth and witnessed consistent participation throughout the filing period. On May 7, authorities received 3,820 nominations, while 4,222 papers were submitted on May 8.
Zila Parishad Elections Draw Strong Response
For the 36 wards of the Zila Parishad, a total of 210 nomination papers were filed during the three-day process. Out of these, 114 nominations came on the final day itself, while 54 and 42 nominations were filed on the first and second day respectively.
Meanwhile, elections for 267 seats of members across 14 Panchayat Samitis also witnessed healthy participation. A total of 1,174 nomination papers were submitted, including 574 on the last day. Earlier, 235 nominations were filed on the first day and 365 on the second day.
Thousands File Nominations for Gram Panchayat Posts
The highest competition was recorded for Gram Panchayat-level posts. For 577 posts of Gram Panchayat Pradhan, authorities received 1,319 nominations on the final day, while 891 nominations were filed on May 7 and 834 on May 8.
Similarly, candidates showed strong interest in the posts of Up-Pradhan. A total of 1,496 nominations were filed on the last day, compared to 706 on the first day and 767 on the second day.
The largest number of nominations came for the 3,311 ward member posts in Gram Panchayats. Authorities received 7,251 nomination papers in this category, including 1,934 nominations on the first day, 2,214 on the second day and 3,103 on the final day.
Scrutiny and Withdrawal Dates Announced
The district administration stated that scrutiny of nomination papers began from 10 am on Tuesday. Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations on May 14 and 15. Election symbols will be allotted after 3 pm on May 15.
Panchayat Election Voting Schedule
Voting for the posts of Gram Panchayat Pradhan, Up-Pradhan and Ward Members will be conducted on May 26, 28 and 30. Counting of votes for these posts will begin immediately after polling at the respective Gram Panchayats.
The counting process for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti member elections will begin on May 31 from 9 am onwards.
With thousands of candidates entering the electoral race, the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections in Mandi are expected to witness intense competition and high voter engagement across rural Himachal Pradesh.
