The counting of votes for the civic body elections in Punjab commenced on Friday, 29 May 2026, amid extensive security arrangements across various counting centres in the state. Early trends suggest that the Congress Party is performing well in several municipal wards, including notable districts such as Kapurthala. The elections for 75 Municipal Councils and 20 Nagar Panchayats were conducted on 26 May 2026, using traditional ballot papers.

Polling is seen as a crucial political contest in anticipation of the forthcoming Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for 2027. Major political parties including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are testing their influence at the grassroots level through these elections. A total of 7,555 candidates are contesting across various constituencies.

Among those competing, AAP has fielded 1,801 candidates, while Congress has put forth 1,550 candidates, BJP has nominated 1,316 candidates, and SAD has presented 1,251 candidates for the elections. The counting process commenced promptly at 8 am and is exclusively accessible to authorised personnel and election staff.

Counting Process Underway With Strict Observations

Election authorities have instituted restricted access to counting halls, allowing entry only to those with identification cards or designated staff members. Two micro observers have been assigned to each counting centre, working under the supervision of district-level general observers. Charumita, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Ajnala, reported that the counting process for Ramdas began without any hitches at around 8:30 am.

“Counting is currently ongoing across 11 booths in Ramdas with a total of 44 candidates from four parties,” Charumita stated. “We anticipate completing each round of counting within an hour to an hour and a half.” The counting is being conducted under careful monitoring, with an emphasis on maintaining security at the centres.

Inderjeet Singh, the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Ajnala, mentioned that comprehensive security measures have been established at all counting venues. A strong room has been designated at Government College, Ajnala, where the counting is taking place, supervised by SP Headquarters and four officers at the SHO level. Singh confirmed that the counting of votes for 11 wards is currently in progress under the watch of 33 security personnel, assuring that the process remains peaceful.

Congress Shows Strong Performance in Early Results

Initial results and emerging trends have indicated that Congress is gaining traction in several key wards, particularly in Kapurthala. For instance, in Ward No. 21, Congress secured 353 votes, outperforming SAD, which garnered 110 votes, AAP with 138 votes, and an Independent candidate who received 62 votes. In another competitive area, Ward No. 15 in Kapurthala, Congress again led, obtaining 358 votes.

The BJP followed with 176 votes, AAP with 201 votes, and SAD with only 20 votes, while the NOTA option received eight votes. In Mansa Nagar Council, Congress candidate Krishna Devi is reported to have won from Ward No. 9. The overall voter turnout for these municipal elections was recorded at 63.94 per cent.

As the counting proceeds, the outcomes are anticipated to reflect the political landscape of Punjab ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Opposition parties previously accused the AAP government of misusing official resources during the elections; however, the state government has denied these allegations, asserting that the electoral process has been conducted fairly.

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