The countdown has begun for the results of the Himachal Municipal Corporation (MC) elections, which will be declared today on May 31. The counting starts from 9 am. According to an official statement from the Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission, the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) election process began with the issuance of a notification on April 29. Nomination papers were filed on May 7, 8 and 11, followed by scrutiny on May 12 and 13. The final list of candidates was released on May 15 after the completion of the withdrawal process and allocation of election symbols.
Massive Participation: Over 70,000 Candidates in Fray
The State Election Commission reported that a total of 86,725 nomination papers were filed across the state. Out of 31,182 total seats across the state, 10,854 candidates had already been elected unopposed before polling began.
More than 86,000 candidates contested various posts, including Gram Panchayat Members, Pradhans, Up-Pradhans, Panchayat Samiti Members and Zila Parishad Members.
The third and final phase of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) elections concluded across Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.
Despite adverse weather conditions in several regions, voters participated enthusiastically, with youth, first-time voters and senior citizens actively engaging in the democratic exercise.
However, overall turnout in the final phase remained below 60 per cent, lower than the first two phases, which recorded more than 75 per cent voter turnout.
Phase-Wise Polling and Counting Schedule
Phase 1: May 26
Phase 2: May 28
Phase 3: May 30
Results for Pradhan, Up-Pradhan and Ward Members are declared immediately after each phase of polling.
Counting for Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad seats will be conducted on May 31, along with results for municipal bodies including Solan, Mandi, Palampur and Dharamshala.
Women Voters Lead in Most Districts
Women played a decisive role in the elections, surpassing male turnout in nine of the state’s twelve districts.
Overall women turnout: 82.76%
Male turnout: 76.47%
Difference: 6.29% higher female participation
District highlights
Kullu recorded highest female turnout at nearly 86%
Men led in Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla, and Kinnaur
Gender-wise district data:
Lahaul-Spiti: 70.88% men vs 67.88% women
Shimla: 80.86% men vs 80.35% women
Kinnaur: 76.44% men vs 75.32% women
District-Wise Turnout Highlights
Overall polling percentages across districts:
Kullu: around 86% (highest overall)
Sirmaur: 85%
Solan: 84%
Mandi: 81%
Shimla: 81%
Una: 80%
Bilaspur: 79%
Chamba: 78%
Kangra: 76%
Kinnaur: 76%
Hamirpur: 75%
Lahaul-Spiti: 69.38% (lowest)
The elections are being conducted to fill 31,182 posts, including:
3,754 Pradhans
3,754 Up-Pradhans
21,654 Ward Members
1,769 Panchayat Samiti Members
251 Zila Parishad Members
The State Election Commission used colour-coded ballot papers:
White: Ward Members
Yellow: Up-Pradhans
Green: Pradhans
Pink: Panchayat Samiti Members
Blue: Zila Parishad Members
State Election Commissioner Anil Kumar Khachi said polling in the second phase was “almost 80 per cent” and concluded peacefully, surpassing the 2021 PRI election figure of nearly 76 per cent in 1,208 Gram Panchayats.
Also Read: Himachal Pradesh Municipal Elections Results 2026 Live Update: Counting To Begin At 9 AM
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
