Himachal Pradesh Panchayat Elections: 742 Nominations Rejected, 85,462 Candidates Remain Valid

Shimla, May 14: The nomination process for the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections in Himachal Pradesh has concluded. During the scrutiny, 742 nominations were rejected, while 85,462 candidates have been deemed valid. According to the State Election Commission, a total of 86,204 nomination papers were submitted for the elections. Most candidates have been allowed to contest after the screening conducted on May 12 and 13.

The notification for the Panchayat elections was issued on April 29. Candidates submitted their nominations in the first week of May. Returning officers verified documents at the district level to prepare the final list. The commission clarified that candidates can withdraw their nominations until May 15. After this withdrawal process, remaining candidates will be allocated election symbols. Voting will take place in three phases: the first phase on May 26, the second on May 28, and the third on May 30. Voting will occur from 7 AM to 3 PM using ballot papers and boxes.

Surjeet Singh Rathore, Secretary of the State Election Commission, reported that the highest number of nominations was recorded in Kangra district, while Lahaul-Spiti had the least.

Kangra district received the most nominations, totaling 19,682. Of these, 254 were rejected, leaving 19,428 valid nominations. Mandi district saw 14,619 nominations, with 54 rejected, resulting in 14,565 candidates remaining in the race. In Shimla district, 8,662 nominations were submitted, with 49 rejected and 8,613 candidates approved.

Chamba district had 8,479 nominations, with 36 rejected, allowing 8,443 candidates to proceed. In Sirmaur district, 5,970 nominations were filed, with 46 rejected, leaving 5,924 candidates eligible to contest.

Una district received 5,840 nominations, with 166 rejected, marking the second-highest number of rejections after Kangra. This leaves 5,674 valid candidates. Kullu district had 5,817 nominations, with 26 rejected, resulting in 5,791 candidates.

Solan district saw 5,629 nominations, with 38 rejected, allowing 5,591 candidates to remain. Hamirpur district had 5,375 nominations, with 32 rejected, leading to 5,343 valid candidates. Bilaspur district received 4,210 nominations, with 15 rejected, leaving 4,195 candidates.

Kinnaur district had 1,428 nominations, with 23 rejected, allowing 1,405 candidates to contest. Lahaul-Spiti recorded the fewest nominations, with only 493 submitted. Of these, 3 were rejected, leaving 490 valid candidates. The State Election Commission confirmed that the entire election process is proceeding smoothly and peacefully across the state.