Punjab is set to witness the curtain-raiser for the 2027 Assembly polls on Tuesday as 7,555 candidates battle it out in the civic body elections. Polling began at 8 am and will continue till 5 pm.
The State Election Commission has deputed around 32,000 police personnel and 35,000 election staff to ensure free and fair elections at eight municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats.
State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhari said, “We have declared 740 booths sensitive and 274 hyper sensitive. Adequate force has been deployed to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.”
A total of 35.45 lakh voters will exercise their franchise to elect councillors for 1,896 wards. The eight municipal corporations include Abohar, Bathinda, Barnala, Batala, Kapurthala, Moga, Mohali and Pathankot.
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Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh and his son Sarabjit Singh Samana pose after casting their votes at Lakhnaur village in Mohali. Sarabjit Singh (AAP) is contesting from ward Number 42.
May 26, 2026 9:47 am
Long queues mark polling in Fazilka amid scorching heat; voters complain of poor arrangements
May 26, 2026 9:45 am
Polling began today in 25 wards of the Municipal Council in Fazilka town amid enthusiastic participation by voters despite the scorching heat. Long queues were witnessed in most wards since morning. Some voters reached polling booths as early as 7 am, though polling officially started at 8 am, under the impression that voting would commence at 7 am. “There were no proper arrangements for drinking water, seating or wheelchairs for elderly persons,” said a voter, adding that many people had to stand in queues under the blazing sun due to the absence of tents at some booths. A large number of voters at Ward Number 22 were seen waiting patiently in queues. Some said they had arrived early in the morning, apprehending booth capturing or rigging later in the day.
Congress candidate Jagdev Jagga injured in attack in Raikot
May 26, 2026 9:37 am
Ludhiana: AAP supporters and leaders were allegedly distributing clothes and shoes late Monday night in wards, to which Congress candidate Jagdev Singh Jagga objected. In the morning, when Jagga was on his way to his polling booth, he was allegedly attacked by about 20-30 persons armed with ‘kirpans’. He has been referred to DMCH, Ludhiana. Jagga is the Congress candidate from Ward Number 4 in Raikot. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said, “We have informed the SSP, and law is taking its own course. We will not allow anyone to take law and order into their own hands”.
AAP, Congress workers face off at 2 places in Patran; police step up
May 26, 2026 9:29 am
Patran: Reports of face-offs between AAP and Congress workers were received from two places. Police intervened and brought the situation under control.
Slow start to polling in Mandi Ahmedgarh; violence reported in Raikot village
May 26, 2026 9:26 am
Mandi Ahmedgarh: Polling started at a slow pace in this Malwa region falling under Ludhiana and Malerkotla districts. At several polling booths, only a single-digit number of voters exercised their franchise during the first hour. While polling remained peaceful at most places, violence was reported from Shehbazpura in Raikot, where Congress candidate for Ward Number 4 Jagdev Singh Jagga was injured in an assault allegedly by AAP activists before the start of polling.
As crucial Punjab civic polls begin, CM Mann's predictions stir political buzz
May 26, 2026 9:15 am
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann once again stirred political debate in the state by claiming that in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections, the BJP would win 1-2 seats in Pathankot district, Congress would secure up to nine seats, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) would draw a blank. Read more: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/as-crucial-punjab-civic-polls-begin-cm-manns-predictions-stir-political-buzz/
An elderly voter in a wheelchair shows the ink mark after casting his vote during the municipal corporation elections at a polling booth in Bathinda on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: Pawan Sharma
May 26, 2026 9:08 am
Voters queue up to cast their ballots during the municipal corporation elections at a polling booth in Bathinda on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: Pawan Sharma
May 26, 2026 9:07 am
A specially-abled voter leaves after casting his vote in the Municipal Council elections in Majitha on Tuesday. Tribune Photo: Vishal Kumar
May 26, 2026 8:45 am
Polling begins for 55 wards in Amritsar
May 26, 2026 7:57 am
Amritsar: Voting for 55 wards in five civic bodies in the district has started with the ruling party having already won 12 seats after the withdrawal and scrutiny of nominations. Earlier, the election process was started for 67 seats of three municipal councils, Jandiala Guru, Majitha and Ramdas, and two Nagar Panchayats, Ajnala and Rayya. However, after the completion of the nomination process, eight seats in Rayya, two in Jandiala Guru and two in Majitha were declared elected unopposed. A total of 209 candidates are in the fray.
