Elections to Be Held for Vacant Sarpanch and Panch Seats Across Punjab
Special Campaign from May 19–21 to Update Electoral Rolls
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 15, 2025
The Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has issued a fresh notification dated May 14, 2025, for conducting elections or by-elections to fill vacant seats of Sarpanches and Panches in various Gram Panchayats across Punjab. These include seats where elections could not be held during the general panchayat elections on October 15, 2024, or where vacancies have arisen since.
As per official estimates, around 60 Sarpanch seats and 1,600 Panch seats are currently lying vacant.
Following this development, the State Election Commission has directed all Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Election Officers to update the electoral rolls used in the October 2024 general elections. The qualifying date for inclusion of new voters has been set as May 31, 2025.
To facilitate the revision of electoral rolls in wards or Gram Panchayats where elections are due, a Special Campaign will be held for voter registration, deletion, and corrections on the following dates:
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May 19, 2025 (Monday)
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May 20, 2025 (Tuesday)
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May 21, 2025 (Wednesday)
Eligible voters can use the following forms for necessary actions:
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Form I – Claim for inclusion of name in the voter list
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Form II – Objection to inclusion of a name
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Form III – Objection to particulars in an existing entry
These forms are available with the respective Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and can also be downloaded from the Commission’s official website: sec.punjab.gov.in.
The State Election Commission has appealed to all eligible voters residing in the affected wards and Gram Panchayats to make full use of this opportunity to ensure their names are correctly listed. Individuals seeking to raise objections or request corrections must submit the relevant forms to their respective Electoral Registration Officer (SDM) during the three-day special campaign.