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The rural local body elections for Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis (Block Samitis) in Punjab are scheduled for Sunday, December 14, 2025.
Since today is Saturday, December 13, 2025, the polling is set to take place tomorrow.
Here is an article summarizing the key information and recent developments regarding these elections:
Key Election Details
Poll Date: December 14, 2025 (Tomorrow)
Counting of Votes: December 17, 2025
Bodies Involved: 23 Zila Parishads and 154 Panchayat Samitis (Block Samitis).
Constituencies:
Zila Parishads: 357 total constituencies, with elections being held for 342 seats.
Panchayat Samitis (Block Samitis): 2,863 total constituencies, with elections being held for 2,682 seats.
Candidates in Contention: 1,265 candidates for Zila Parishads and 8,314 for Block Samitis.
Elected Unopposed: 196 candidates (mostly from the ruling AAP) have already been elected unopposed across both tiers.
Voters: Over 1.36 crore eligible rural voters.
Polling Method: Voting will be held using ballot papers.
Campaigning Concludes Amid Allegations
Campaigning for the rural polls concluded on Friday, December 12, with major political parties making a final push to reach the electorate.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) focused on highlighting its two-year performance, emphasizing achievements like free electricity and job creation.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) campaigned on the legacy of former CM Parkash Singh Badal’s development work.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) highlighted central government schemes and funding for rural development.
However, the pre-poll environment has been heavily affected by controversy:
Allegations of Misuse of Power: Opposition parties, including the SAD and Congress, have leveled serious accusations against the ruling AAP government of using police and administrative machinery to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers.
Audio Clip Controversy: A major flashpoint was a viral audio clip purportedly featuring the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Patiala instructing subordinates to stop opposition candidates from reaching nomination centers.
Judicial Intervention: The Punjab and Haryana High Court took cognizance of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the opposition, criticizing the State Election Commission (SEC) for its handling of the issue. The court stressed the SEC’s constitutional duty to be “non-aligned” and to ensure free and fair elections, observing that the Patiala SSP should have been divested of poll duty pending an inquiry.
Significance of the Elections
Though local in nature, these elections are being closely watched as they are the first major rural body polls since the 2022 Assembly elections. The results will serve as a crucial indicator of the current political sentiment in Punjab’s rural areas and the level of support for the ruling AAP government ahead of the 2027 state elections.
Editor
