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Chandigarh: After months of delay, the long-pending Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections in Punjab will finally be held on December 14, with the results to be declared on December 17. With the announcement of the poll schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect across the state.

The elections, due since May this year, were postponed multiple times—first to October and then to December—owing to the devastating floods that hit several districts in August and September. These grassroots-level elections are seen as a crucial political indicator ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, scheduled roughly 14 months from now.

1.36 Crore Voters, Massive Security Deployment

Announcing the schedule, State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhari said that nearly 1.36 crore voters will exercise their franchise to elect representatives to 23 Zila Parishads and 154 Panchayat Samitis.

To ensure free and fair conduct of elections, the Election Commission has identified 915 hyper-sensitive and 3,582 sensitive polling locations. As many as 19,181 polling booths will be set up across the state.

Senior officials will closely monitor the process. IAS officers and 2010-batch PCS officers will be appointed as Election Observers, while SP-rank officers will serve as Police Observers to maintain law and order during polling.

50% Seats Reserved for Women, Polls on Party Symbols

In a significant measure to bolster women’s political participation, 50 per cent of the seats in these elections are reserved for women. Unlike village panchayat elections, political parties will contest the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls under their party symbols, making the contest overtly political.

Candidates contesting the Zila Parishad elections will have to deposit a nomination fee of Rs 400, while those contesting the Panchayat Samiti polls will pay Rs 200 as security.

Nomination Schedule Announced

The nomination process will begin shortly:

• Nomination filing: December 1 to December 4

• Scrutiny of papers: December 5

• Last date for withdrawal: December 6

• Polling: December 14

• Counting of votes: December 17

Political Litmus Test Ahead of Assembly Elections

The elections assume heightened significance as they are being held just over a year before the Assembly polls. All major political parties—AAP, Congress, BJP and Akali Dal—are expected to treat these polls as a semi-final before the 2027 electoral battle, using the outcome to recalibrate their political strategies.

With rural Punjab forming the backbone of the state’s electoral politics, the verdict of these local bodies is expected to offer a clear signal of shifting political winds.