A total of 37.32 lakh voters, including 17.75 lakh women and 204 others, are eligible to exercise their franchise. Authorities have identified 1,609 polling locations and 3,717 polling booths, with 344 classified as hypersensitive and 665 as sensitive. To ensure a smooth electoral process, 20,486 personnel from Punjab Police and Home Guard jawans will be deployed, alongside 500 patrolling parties and 283 striking reserves.The outcome of these elections is expected to reveal urban voters’ political preferences, as they will be conducted on party symbols, unlike the recent panchayat elections. In the last municipal elections for Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Patiala, the Congress secured comfortable majorities. This time, the party is expected to put in a strong effort to retain its hold over these municipalities.The contest promises to be fierce, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) participating under the leadership of its recently elected state president, Aman Arora. The BJP will test the strength of its urban voter outreach, contesting alone after previously aligning with the Akali Dal. Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which had stayed away from the recent panchayat polls, has confirmed its participation in these elections.With the stakes high and all major political parties involved, the urban civic body elections are set to be a critical barometer of Punjab’s political landscape.
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