No liquor will be sold in Punjab today, as December 21 (Saturday) has been declared a 'dry day' in the state due to the municipal elections. Elections will be held for five municipal corporations and 41 municipal councils across Punjab. Anticipating the restriction, large crowds are expected at liquor shops today. Additionally, a public holiday has been declared in the election areas.
Polling begins at 7 am and until 4 pm, and the counting of votes will take place after voting in civic body polls concludes. The Punjab State Election Commission had announced the elections on December 8, with campaigning starting on December 14 after the completion of the nomination process.
The Shiromani Akali Dal is contesting these elections after skipping recent by-elections. For the BJP, these elections are significant, as the party's candidates had a poor showing in the by-elections, with deposits forfeited for three out of four candidates. This marks the BJP's first time contesting municipal elections without its traditional ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal.
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The elections for the municipal corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Phagwara, and Patiala are expected to be particularly competitive. Elections for 41 municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats will also be conducted. Voting will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
A total of 37,32,636 voters, including 19,55,888 men, 17,76,544 women, and 204 others, are eligible to vote in the municipal and council elections. Voting will take place for 381 wards in municipal corporations and 598 wards in municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats.
To oversee the election process, the Election Commission has deployed 23,000 officers and staff members. A total of 1,609 polling stations and 3,809 polling booths have been set up across the state.
A total of 3,336 candidates are contesting in the elections. Out of 4,947 nominations filed, 439 were rejected, and 1,172 were withdrawn. These elections are expected to be a litmus test for political parties, particularly the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal, as they aim to strengthen their foothold in Punjab’s urban politics.