Scrutiny of Nomination Papers Begins for Himachal Urban Local Body Polls; 1,426 Candidates in Fray for 449 Councillor Posts

May 4, 2026

Shimla: The scrutiny of nomination papers for 51 urban local bodies in Himachal Pradesh is taking place today (Monday). During this process, any nominations found to be invalid will be rejected. A total of 1,426 aspirants have filed nominations for 449 posts across these 51 bodies. Kangra district has recorded the highest number of nominations, with 269 candidates filing their papers.

In six of the state’s urban bodies, only a single nomination has been received for six specific Councilor posts. These include Ward No. 6 of Banjar Nagar Panchayat in Kullu district; Ward No. 1 of Rewalsar Nagar Panchayat and Ward No. 1 of Karsog Nagar Panchayat in Mandi district; and Ward No. 2 of Nerwa Nagar Panchayat and Ward No. 2 of Chirgaon Nagar Panchayat in Shimla district.

Each of these wards has received only one nomination for the post of Councilor. Consequently, if these nominations are found to be valid during today’s scrutiny, the candidates are assured of being elected unopposed. However, the official declaration regarding this will be made the day after tomorrow that is, on May 6 following the withdrawal of nominations.

Withdrawal of Nominations on May 6

Following the scrutiny process, we will withdraw the nominations the day after tomorrow, on May 6. Interested candidates will be able to withdraw their nominations until 3:00 PM. On the same day, after 3:00 PM, election symbols will be allotted to the candidates contesting the polls. Voting across all these urban bodies is scheduled to take place on April 17, starting at 7:00 AM.

The results for the Nagar Panchayats and Nagar Parishads will be declared on the same day, whereas for the four municipal corporations Solan, Mandi, Dharamshala, and Palampur voters will have to wait until May 31 for the results.

3.60 Lakh Voters to Cast Their Votes

In these elections, 180,963 male voters, 179,882 female voters, and 14 voters from the ‘Other’ category will cast their ballots. In total, 360,859 voters are eligible to participate in the voting process. Among them are 1,808 voters who have recently attained the age of 18 and will be casting their vote for the very first time.

Municipal Corporation Elections: Considered a ‘Semifinal’ for Political Power

The eyes of the state’s residents are fixed on the Municipal Corporation elections, as these polls are contested on party symbols. For this reason, the municipal elections are being viewed as a “semifinal” for power ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for 2027. Consequently, both the Congress and the BJP are pouring their heart and soul into the campaign.