Chandigarh, 14 January 2025: Elections for 32 municipalities in Haryana, considered a litmus test for the ruling BJP and opposition parties, are now expected to take place in March. The delay stems primarily from unfinished electoral rolls for key municipal corporations.
Sources revealed that the finalized electoral rolls for Hisar and Rohtak municipal corporations will be published on January 15, while Karnal and Yamunanagar will complete their rolls by January 28. The rolls for other municipalities have already been uploaded on the State Election Commission’s website. However, uncertainty looms over Panipat’s elections, as the delimitation of its wards is still underway. Similarly, Kalianwali’s poll process remains stalled due to ongoing litigation.
A senior official noted that the announcement of the municipal election schedule is likely to follow the results of the Delhi Assembly elections on February 8. “Since several party workers will be occupied with the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls, the municipal election schedule will only be unveiled after those results. With a 25-day election process, polls are expected in March,” the official stated.
Political parties are gearing up for the elections, widely seen as a “mini-Assembly poll” in the run-up to the general elections. The BJP has declared its intent to contest all municipal elections on its party symbol, following its victory in the October 5 Assembly polls. The Congress, which traditionally contests municipal and mayoral polls under its symbol, awaits formal confirmation from its high command. Meanwhile, AAP has confirmed its participation, announcing it will contest all municipal polls on its symbol.
Elections for municipalities in Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Manesar, Panipat, and Karnal have faced repeated delays for various reasons. Despite this, party strategies remain robust, with many parties backing candidates aligned with their ideologies for local civic body elections.
