As the elections for panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) draw near in Himachal Pradesh, district administrations in Shimla, Kangra, and Sirmaur have commenced the distribution of reservation rosters for various local bodies, such as nagar panchayats and zila parishads, thereby expediting the electoral process throughout the state.

In Shimla, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap has released the reservation roster for 25 zila parishad wards, with 13 of these designated for women. The total number of wards in Shimla has risen to 25 following the establishment of a new ward, Kwar.

The issuance of this roster has clarified the current situation regarding panchayats in the district. There are now 441 panchayats included within the 25 wards, a decrease from 446 due to a recent court ruling that invalidated the establishment of five panchayats. Further details are anticipated once the official panchayat roster is published.

In Sirmaur, Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Verma has also released the reservation roster for gram panchayat pradhans spanning eight development blocks. Similarly, the Kangra district administration has announced the reservation roster for the upcoming PRI elections. Kangra, which encompasses 18 development blocks and a total of 847 gram panchayats, has issued the roster for 846 panchayats, while one panchayat’s reconstitution remains under judicial review.

The finalized roster includes reservations for 846 gram panchayat pradhan positions, 54 zila parishad wards, and the roles of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of panchayat samitis. Among these, 423 gram panchayats, 27 zila parishad wards, and nine chairperson posts of panchayat samitis have been reserved for women.

On April 1, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated during the Budget session that the PRI elections in the state are scheduled to occur before May 31.

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