2 min readUpdated: May 29, 2026 01:47 PM IST
Vote counting is currently underway for the eight municipal corporations of Mohali, Bathinda, Abohar, Barnala, Kapurthala, Moga, Batala and Pathankot. The civic polls, held on May 26 through ballot papers, recorded a voter turnout of 63.94 per cent. Polling had been conducted for 102 municipal bodies, comprising eight municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 19 nagar panchayats.
More than 7,000 candidates are in the electoral fray for the municipal polls. The outcome is being closely watched by all major political parties in Punjab — the AAP, BJP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — as it is expected to set the tone ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled next year. To ensure smooth counting operations, two micro-observers have been stationed at each counting centre to assist the general observer, and entry to counting halls has been restricted to authorised personnel only.
The municipal elections served as a litmus test for the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls. Rival parties raised concerns about the ruling party leveraging government resources to its advantage in the lead-up to voting.
The last time Punjab residents had cast ballots for urban local bodies was in February 2021, a period marked by the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and Congress’s firm grip on state power. Congress swept all eight municipal corporations and secured majorities in 77 out of 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats.