SEC freezes PRI and ULB boundaries, clears deck for timely local body elections in Himachal Pradesh
Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source: Internet
Shimla, Nov 17,
The Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) has formally frozen the boundaries of all Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Corporations, marking a key procedural step toward holding Panchayat and municipal elections within the constitutionally mandated timeframe.
The notification, issued on November 7, 2025, assumes significance as it comes at a time when the Himachal Pradesh High Court has sought responses from the State government as well as the Commission on a Public Interest Litigation alleging attempts to delay the Panchayat polls on grounds of disaster management exigencies. With the SEC now completing the boundary-freeze exercise, the electoral process enters its legally required preparatory phase.
According to the notification, the term of 3,577 Gram Panchayats across the state will conclude on January 31, 2026, while 50 Urban Local Bodies are set to complete their term earlier on January 18, 2026. The four Municipal Corporations—Dharamshala, Palampur, Mandi and Solan—are scheduled to complete their tenure on April 13, 2026, followed by five Nagar Panchayats on April 16, 2026.
The Commission confirmed that delimitation of 3,577 Gram Panchayats, 90 Panchayat Samitis, 11 Zila Parishads and 71 Urban Local Bodies has been finalized and formally notified. Additionally, electoral rolls for 3,548 Panchayats and 70 ULBs stand completed. The remaining 29 Panchayats and one ULB will have their rolls finalized by December 1 and December 7, respectively, ensuring readiness for the upcoming polls.
Reiterating the mandate laid down by the Supreme Court in SLPs No. 22468 and 22469 of 2024 (State of Punjab & Others vs Beant Kumar & Anr.), the SEC stated that the election process must begin at least six months prior to the expiry of the five-year term of local bodies. The Commission emphasised that this constitutional mandate applies uniformly and leaves no scope for administrative delays once the preparatory framework is in place.
In line with this requirement, the SEC has now invoked Clause 12.1 of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayats and Municipalities Model Code of Conduct, which prohibits any change in the structure, classification or geographical boundaries of Panchayats or municipal bodies from the date of the boundary-freeze notification until the conclusion of the election process. The enforcement of this clause effectively locks institutional boundaries, preventing last-minute alterations that could disrupt the electoral timetable.
With delimitation settled, electoral rolls nearing full completion and the code of conduct provisions triggered for structural changes, the SEC’s notification signals that Himachal Pradesh is moving steadily toward conducting Panchayat and municipal elections on schedule, even as judicial scrutiny continues parallelly.
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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
