Himachal Pradesh News
Himachal Pradesh Panchayat Elections 2026: Voting Begins for 1,293 Gram Panchayats on May 26
The first phase of the highly anticipated Panchayati Raj elections in Himachal Pradesh will be held on May 26, with voting scheduled across 1,293 gram panchayats. The elections are being seen as a major democratic exercise in the hill state, where lakhs of rural voters are set to participate in choosing their local representatives.
The first phase of the highly anticipated Panchayati Raj elections in Himachal Pradesh will be held on May 26, with voting scheduled across 1,293 gram panchayats. The elections are being seen as a major democratic exercise in the hill state, where lakhs of rural voters are set to participate in choosing their local representatives.
According to officials from the State Election Commission, all arrangements for peaceful and smooth polling have been completed. Polling parties have already reached their assigned locations, and preparations at polling booths are underway.
The remaining phases of voting for the total 3,754 gram panchayats will take place on May 28 and May 30.
Polling Timings Changed Due to Summer Heat
In a significant change from previous elections, polling this time will begin one hour earlier due to rising summer temperatures. Voting will now take place from 7 AM to 3 PM instead of the earlier schedule of 8 AM to 4 PM.
Election officials said the revised timing was introduced to ensure voter convenience and reduce difficulties caused by the ongoing heatwave conditions in several parts of the state.
Voters to Cast Five Separate Votes
Each voter participating in the gram panchayat elections will cast five different votes for various local governance positions, including:
- Ward Member
- Vice-Pradhan
- Pradhan
- Panchayat Samiti Member
- Zila Parishad Member
To simplify the voting process, the Election Commission has assigned different colours to each ballot paper category:
- White — Ward Member
- Yellow — Vice-Pradhan
- Green — Pradhan
- Pink — Panchayat Samiti Member
- Blue — Zila Parishad Member
Officials have also confirmed that voters can use any of the 16 approved identity documents while casting their votes.
Over 50 Lakh Voters to Participate
The Panchayati Raj elections in Himachal Pradesh are expected to witness participation from nearly 50.89 lakh voters. Through this election process, voters will elect a total of 31,182 public representatives across different rural governance bodies.
The positions include:
- 3,754 Pradhans
- 3,754 Vice-Pradhans
- 21,654 Ward Members
- 1,769 Panchayat Samiti Members
- 251 Zila Parishad Members
Interestingly, 10,854 candidates have already been elected unopposed before the voting process began.
Results Schedule Announced
The counting of votes for gram panchayat elections will begin immediately after polling concludes, and results are expected shortly thereafter.
Meanwhile, the results for Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad elections will be declared on May 31 alongside the results of four Municipal Corporation elections. Voting for Municipal Corporation polls was conducted earlier on May 17.
Election Cancelled in Bilaspur Panchayat
In a late development, the State Election Commission cancelled the election for the post of Pradhan in Tali Gram Panchayat of Bilaspur. However, officials have not yet released detailed information regarding the reason behind the cancellation.
The Panchayat elections remain crucial for strengthening grassroots democracy in Himachal Pradesh, especially in rural regions where local governance directly impacts development, infrastructure, and welfare schemes.
