Chandigarh, May 25 (IANS) Less than 10 months before Punjab goes in for the Assembly elections, 7,555 candidates will contest the municipal elections in the state on Tuesday.

The voting will be held on ballot papers, with the counting on May 29.

A total of 1,801 candidates are from the state ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 1,550 candidates from the main opposition Congress, 1,316 candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 1,251 candidates from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), 96 candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 1,528 candidates contesting as Independent and 13 other candidates.

The State Election Commission has made all the logistical arrangements to conduct these elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

In the run-up to the municipal elections, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a PIL challenging the Election Commission’s decision to switch from electronic voting machines (EVMs) to ballot papers.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry rejected the plea that the shift from EVM-VVPAT to ballot papers has been made abruptly through an administrative communication, without any statutory amendment, legislative sanction, or public consultation.

“It is now too late for us to pass any orders or issue any writ since the election programme was published as early as May 13. The election program of municipal elections has progressed to an advanced stage, where the last date of withdrawal of candidature was May 19,” it observed on May 22.

State BJP President Sunil Jakhar has warned the government against using any illegal means to win the local body elections, saying Punjab would no longer bow to AAP’s fear and pressure tactics. He said statements being made by AAP MLAs and leaders about shutting polling booth doors and capturing booths to win elections reflected the desperation of the government. He said such remarks amounted to AAP admitting defeat in advance.

Meanwhile, in pursuance of the notification dated May 21, the Election Commission announced the dates for the conduct of elections for the members of municipal councils of Dinanagar, Gurdaspur, Qadian, and Sham Chaurasi.

As per the election schedule, the period for filing nomination papers will start from May 28 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the office of the Returning Officer designated for the purpose. The last date for filing nominations will be June 1 up to 3 p.m., and the scrutiny of the nominations will take place on June 2. The last date for withdrawal of nominations will be June 3 by 3 p.m. The elections to these municipal councils will be held on June 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The counting of the ballots will take place on the same day, immediately after the completion of the poll. With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the jurisdiction of the Municipal Councils where the elections are going to be held. It will remain in force till the completion of the election process, an official statement said.

–IANS

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