Shimla: Elections to 51 urban local bodies in Himachal Pradesh will be held on May 17, 2026, with the Model Code of Conduct coming into force immediately after the announcement.
State Election Commissioner Anil Khachi announced the schedule at a press conference in Shimla, stating that polling will take place for four Municipal Corporations—Solan, Mandi, Dharamshala, and Palampur—along with 25 Nagar Parishads and 22 Nagar Panchayats across the state.
The elections will see participation from 1,80,963 male and 1,79,882 female voters. Among them are 1,808 first-time voters aged 18. Voters can check their names and details using the Saarthi app.
As per the schedule, nomination papers will be filed on April 29, April 30, and May 2 (till 3 PM). Scrutiny of nominations will begin on May 4, while candidates can withdraw their nominations on May 6 between 10 AM and 3 PM. The list of polling stations will be published on April 29. Voting will take place from 7 AM to 3 PM on May 17.
Counting of votes for Nagar Panchayats and Nagar Parishads will be conducted on the same day, while counting for the four Municipal Corporations will take place on May 31. The Commission has fixed the maximum expenditure limit at ₹1 lakh for Municipal Corporation candidates, ₹75,000 for Nagar Parishads, and ₹50,000 for Nagar Panchayats.
Meanwhile, preparations for the Panchayati Raj Institution elections are underway. The final voter list is scheduled to be published on April 27, after which the election schedule for nearly 3,600 Panchayats is expected to be announced.
In view of the elections, strict administrative directions have been issued. Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, Block Development Officers, and District Panchayat Officers have been instructed not to leave their headquarters without prior permission until May 31, to ensure smooth conduct of the electoral process.
Separately, the state government has enhanced financial incentives for Panchayati Raj bodies elected unopposed. Gram Panchayats with unanimous elections will now receive ₹25 lakh, Panchayat Samitis ₹50 lakh, and Zila Parishads ₹1 crore. The move is aimed at encouraging consensus and reducing election-related expenditure, allowing more funds to be directed towards development works.
With the announcement, Himachal Pradesh has entered a key election phase, with urban local body polls set to precede the much-awaited Panchayati Raj elections.
