Election-fatigued Punjab to have panchayat samiti and zila parishad polls now

Punjab has virtually been in election mode since March 16, 2024, when the code of conduct came into effect for the Lok Sabha elections.

3 min readChandigarhFeb 13, 2025 05:13 PM IST

The zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls have been long overdue, with the last elections to these bodies held in September 2018. (Express File)

Punjab, which saw five sets of elections and had the model code of conduct in place for at least five months last year, is facing another round of polls, this time to zila parishads and panchayat samitis, which must be held before May 31, as per a notification issued on Thursday.

The zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls have been long overdue, with the last elections to these bodies held in September 2018. The government is planning to hold them before May, as the state gets busy with the harvesting of wheat and its procurement in April.

The notification was issued by Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia, Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats.

Leaders of the ruling AAP, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, returned to Chandigarh only a week ago after campaigning for Delhi Assembly polls for over a month.

On Thursday, Mann held a cabinet meeting after over four months due to the different sets of elections. The meeting, which addressed over 70 agenda items, lasted for more than five hours.

The state is awaiting two Assembly bypolls as well in 2025. Last month, AAP MLA for Ludhiana (West) Gurpreet Singh Gogi died from a gunshot wound under mysterious circumstances. A bypoll must be conducted to fill the vacant seat within six months, before mid-July.

Also Read | High Court warning and a year later, Punjab conducts panchayat polls. But cloud over AAP govt still hovers

The second bypoll is to be held in Banga if the Assembly Speaker accepts the resignation of Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, the Shiromani Akali Dal MLA whom the AAP poached in August last year. After the Speaker refused to accept his resignation, the matter reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which has directed the Speaker to hear the plaintiff.

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The state has virtually been in election mode since March 16, 2024, when the code of conduct came into effect for the Lok Sabha elections, which were held in Punjab in its last leg, on June 1. Ten days later, on June 10, a bypoll for the Jalandhar (West) seat was announced, with the poll code taking effect in Jalandhar district until July 10, when the constituency voted.

In September 2024, panchayat elections were announced and the code of conduct came into effect in over 13,000 villages across the state, leading to heightened political activity. And the state’s political leadership, except for SAD leaders, also remained busy campaigning in neighbouring Haryana for the October 5 Assembly elections there.

When the state finally voted in the panchayat elections on October 15, 2024, the Election Commission announced bypolls in four Assembly segments—Gidderbaha, Barnala, Chabbewa and Dera Baba Nanak. These elections took place on November 20, leading to another surge in political activity.

Subsequently, the panchayat elections and municipal elections were held in December 2024.

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Amid the elections, the government was able to hold only five cabinet meetings in 2024—on March 9, August 14, August 29, September 5 and October 5. In January this year, the government could not hold any cabinet meetings. It had planned an Assembly session for the first week of January to reject the Centre’s draft agriculture marketing policy, but this was not held because of the Delhi elections.

Kanchan Vasdev

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More

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