Chandigarh: Punjab is expected to announce the much-awaited schedule for elections to nine Municipal Corporations and 104 municipal councils later on Monday, triggering the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct across the state.
The upcoming civic elections are being viewed as a significant political battleground ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls due next year, with all major parties preparing for an aggressive contest in urban constituencies.
Sources in the State Election Commission said preparations for the elections have largely been completed, including the revision of electoral rolls. The final voter lists were officially published on May 5, clearing the way for the poll notification.
Voting will be held for Municipal Corporations in Bathinda, Moga, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Batala, Mohali, Abohar, Barnala and Kapurthala. These urban bodies had earlier been dissolved by the state government, following which administrators were appointed to manage civic affairs until fresh elections could be conducted.
Political observers believe the elections will serve as an important indicator of public mood before the 2027 Vidhan Sabha elections. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party is expected to face stiff competition from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress, all of which are attempting to strengthen their urban support base.
While the AAP government seeks to retain its political dominance, the BJP has been trying to expand its presence in Punjab’s urban centres. The SAD is also aiming for a revival after electoral setbacks, while the Congress hopes to regain lost ground through local-level campaigns.
Officials indicated that all parties would contest the elections on their respective party symbols, setting the stage for direct political confrontations in municipalities and councils across the state.
With campaigning likely to intensify in the coming weeks, the civic polls are expected to become a major political test for Punjab’s leading parties and could shape the narrative leading into the Assembly elections.
