Counting of votes for the Civic Body elections in Punjab commenced at 8 a.m. on Friday (May 29, 2026) amid tight security arrangements, officials said.
Elections to 102 Municipal bodies across eight Municipal Corporations — Mohali, Bathinda, Abohar, Barnala, Kapurthala, Moga, Batala and Pathankot — along with 75 Municipal Councils and 19 Nagar Panchayats were held using ballot papers on May 26, recording a turnout of 63.94%.
A total of 7,554 candidates are in the fray for the local body elections, seen as crucial for all the major political parties in Punjab – AAP, BJP, Congress and SAD – in the run-up to next year’s Assembly polls.
Officials said two micro observers have been deputed for each counting centre who will be working under the direct supervision of the general observer for that district.
Entry into the counting hall shall be restricted only to the authorised persons, they said.
Earlier, the opposition parties had accused the AAP government of misusing official machinery during the elections. The civic polls are seen as a litmus test for the ruling party, which is hoping to retain power in the State.
Published - May 29, 2026 10:17 am IST
Punjab / local elections / Aam Aadmi Party / Swachh Bharat Mission / Indian National Congress
Source: The Hindu - India News
