Himachal Pradesh Announces Three-Phase Panchayat Elections from May 26

April 28, 2026

Panchayat elections have been announced in Himachal Pradesh. State Election Commissioner Anil Khachi stated that the Panchayat elections will be held in three phases on May 26, 28, and 30. Counting of votes for Pradhan, Up-Pradhan, and Ward Members will take place on the same day of voting, while counting for Zila Parishad and BDC elections will take place on May 31.

With the announcement of the elections, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect across the state. The government will no longer be able to make any new announcements, recruitments, tenders, transfers, promotions, inaugurations, or foundation stone laying. The code of conduct was already in place in urban areas, and now it has been extended to rural areas as well.

More than 50 lakh voters will cast their ballots

This time, 50 lakh 89 thousand 048 voters will exercise their franchise in the Panchayat elections. These include 2.567 million men, 2.511 million women, and 29 other voters.

In these elections, 3,754 Pradhans, 3,754 Deputy Pradhans, 21,654 Ward Members, 1,769 Panchayat Samiti Members (BDCs), and 251 Zila Parishad Members will be elected. A total of 31,182 public representatives will be selected.

Over 50,000 employees will be deployed.

Anil Khachi stated that the counting of votes for Pradhans, Deputy Pradhans, and Ward Members will take place at the Panchayat level on the same day of voting, while the counting of votes for Panchayat Samiti Members and Zila Parishad will take place at the block level.

Over 50,000 employees will be deployed for these elections. Panchayat elections are conducted using ballot papers, while urban body elections are conducted using EVM machines.

Expenditure Limits Fixed for Zila Parishad Candidates

Candidates contesting the Zila Parishad Member election will be able to spend a maximum of ₹1 lakh. They will have to submit a complete statement of their expenditure to the Election Commission within a month of the election’s completion. However, there is no expenditure limit for the Panchayat Pradhan, Up Pradhan, and Ward Member.

The Supreme Court has directed that Panchayat elections be held before May 31st. Keeping this in mind, the Election Commission is working to complete the entire process within the stipulated timeframe. Previously, urban body elections have also been announced, where voting will take place in 51 municipal bodies on May 17th and in two places on May 22nd.