Punjab State Election Commission has officially begun the process for the upcoming municipal elections, following the Supreme Court’s directive. The elections will cover five Municipal Corporations, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Phagwara, as well as 43 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats across the state.

State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhuri on Wednesday announced the schedule for the revision of electoral rolls. The process will begin with the publication of draft electoral rolls on November 14, 2024. Voters will have an opportunity to file claims and objections from November 18 to 25. These claims and objections will be addressed by December 3, 2024, and the final electoral roll will be published on December 7, 2024.

As part of the procedure, all Deputy Commissioners and District Election Officers have been directed to make the existing voter lists available for public viewing at the offices of Electoral Registration Officers as well as in the respective municipalities on November 14, 2024. Eligible citizens who wish to add or object to entries in the electoral rolls can submit their requests using Forms 7, 8, and 9. These forms are available for download on the Punjab State Election Commission’s website (https://sec.punjab.gov.in).

To facilitate the process, a special campaign will be organized on November 20 and 21, 2024, where citizens can submit their claims and objections directly to the municipal authorities.

Voters wishing to register must meet the eligibility criteria, including being 18 years old on the qualifying date of November 1, 2024, and a resident of the locality in which they seek registration. The Election Commission urged all residents to take part in the democratic process by ensuring they are registered in the voter lists within the prescribed time.