Shimla, May 7
The nomination process for Panchayati Raj Institution elections in Himachal Pradesh began on Wednesday, with candidates filing their nomination papers across the state for various local body posts.
Candidates will be able to submit nomination papers on May 7, 8 and 11. Panchayat pradhans and ward members are filing nominations at panchayat offices before Assistant Returning Officers, while Panchayat Samiti candidates are submitting papers at tehsil offices. District Council candidates are filing nominations at SDM offices before Sub Divisional Magistrates.
Although Panchayati Raj elections in the state are not fought on party symbols, the Bharatiya Janata Party has released a list of its supported candidates for Zila Parishad seats.
At the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shimla, a large number of candidates gathered on the first day of the nomination process. BJP, Congress and independent candidates filed nomination papers for Zila Parishad elections before the SDM Shimla Rural, while nominations for Block Development Committee seats were submitted before Tehsildar Sanjeev Gupta.
Kamlesh Sharma, the BJP-supported candidate from the Halog Dhami Zila Parishad ward, filed her nomination and said she entered the election with a spirit of public service. She said the BJP had shown confidence in her and she would work to fulfil people’s expectations.
Kamlesh Sharma said her priorities include improving basic facilities, women’s empowerment, promoting a drug-free youth environment and ensuring better market access for farmers in the region.
Other candidates contesting for Zila Parishad and BDC seats also said they would focus on development works and addressing public concerns in their respective areas.
Anita Sharma and Shiv Kishore Sharma also interacted with the media after filing their nominations.
According to election officials, nominations will be filed for 31,214 posts across 3,754 panchayats in the state during the three designated days. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on May 12, while candidates will be allowed to withdraw nominations on May 14 and 15.
Election symbols will be allotted after the withdrawal process concludes at 3 pm on May 15.
Polling for the Panchayati Raj elections will be held in three phases on May 26, 28 and 30. Counting of votes for pradhans, deputy pradhans and ward members will take place at the panchayat headquarters immediately after polling on the same day. Votes for BDC and Zila Parishad members will be counted at the block level on May 31.
