Chandigarh: Haryana State Election Commissioner Devinder Singh Kalyan today announced the election schedule for Municipal Bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions at the State Election Commission office in Panchkula. With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in the concerned areas.
As per the announcement, general elections will be held for the posts of Mayors and Councillors of Municipal Corporations in Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat, along with elections for the President and all ward members of Rewari Municipal Council and Municipal Committees of Sampla, Dharuhera and Uklana.
Additionally, by-elections will be conducted for 6 vacant ward member seats in Municipal Councils/Committees of Tohana, Jhajjar, Rajound, Tarawadi, Kanina and Sadhaura.
Under Panchayati Raj Institutions, general elections will be held in Gram Panchayats of Mandi Adampur and Jawahar Nagar in Hisar, and Govindpura and Polad in Kaithal. Alongside, by-elections will be conducted for 528 vacant posts (including Panch, Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad members) across the state.
With the announcement, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect from April 13, 2026, and transfers of officials/employees in the concerned areas have been restricted until completion of the election process. According to the election schedule, the Returning Officers will issue the notice for nominations on April 15, 2026. Candidates can file their nomination papers between April 21 and April 25, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 27, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until 3:00 PM on April 28, after which election symbols will be allotted.
Polling for all posts will be held on May 10, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Counting of votes for Municipal Bodies will begin on May 13 at 8:00 AM at designated centres, while counting for Panchayati Raj Institutions will take place immediately after polling or, if required, on May 12 in case of re-poll.
Clarifying eligibility criteria, the Commission stated that for the posts of Municipal Corporation Mayors and Municipal Council/Committee Presidents, candidates from general and backward classes must have passed Class 10, while women and Scheduled Caste candidates must have passed Class 8.
For Panchayati Raj Institutions, candidates for Panch, Sarpanch and member posts must have passed Class 10 in the general category, while women and Scheduled Caste candidates must have passed Class 8. Notably, for Scheduled Caste women contesting for Panch (Gram Panchayat member), Municipal Council/Committee or Corporation member, the minimum qualification is Class 5.
Expenditure limits have also been prescribed. The maximum limit is ₹30 lakh for Municipal Corporation Mayors and ₹7.50 lakh for members. In Panchayati Raj, the limit is ₹2 lakh for Sarpanch and ₹6 lakh for Zila Parishad members. Candidates must submit their expenditure details within 30 days of election results, failing which they may be disqualified from future elections. To ensure transparency, candidates with criminal backgrounds must publicize details of their cases in at least two newspapers and local TV channels on three different dates.
EVMs will be used for voting, with pink ballot units for Mayors/Presidents and white ballot units for members, featuring candidates’ photographs. Voters will also have the option of NOTA (None of the Above). The Commission has decided to deploy heavy police force and appoint senior officers as observers to ensure free and fair elections. Voters have been urged to participate in large numbers without any discrimination.
For voter convenience, voter slips will be delivered door-to-door by the district administration at least three days prior to polling, ensuring that every voter has clear information about their polling station and booth to exercise their franchise smoothly.
