No elections for 22 ULBs in HP due to unavailability of quota roster: State poll body

At least 22 out of 75 urban local bodies in Himachal Pradesh are not going to polls as the state election commission did not receive the reservation roster for them from the government, the poll body chief said on Tuesday.

At least 22 out of 75 urban local bodies in Himachal Pradesh are not going to polls as the state election commission did not receive the reservation roster for them from the government, the poll body chief said on Tuesday. The government had upgraded Hamirpur, Baddi and Una municipal councils to municipal corporations in 2024-25, and the elections were to be held within two years. Replying to a question during an interaction with the media here, State Chief Election Commissioner Anil Khachi said that two important elements for conducting elections are the finalisation of the voters' list by the Commission and the issuing of the reservation roster by the state government. ''The state election commission has not received the reservation roster of 22 urban local bodies from the state government, and the commission could not wait as it must abide by the Supreme Court orders and therefore the SEC went ahead with the ULB elections,'' he said. The Supreme Court has directed the Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission to hold Panchayat elections by May 31. Last Tuesday, Khachi announced elections in 51 urban local bodies, including four municipal corporations, Solan, Mandi, Palampur and Dharamshala, 25 municipal councils and 22 nagar panchayats. These elections would be held on May 17. The elections of municipal corporations are on the party symbol, while the elections of municipal councils and nagar panchayats are not on a party symbol. Later, on Monday, the Commission announced that elections for the Rohru Municipal Council and Narkanda Nagar Panchayat would be held on May 22. The results of municipal councils and nagar panchayats would be declared the same day, while the results for municipal corporations would be announced on May 31.