PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Following the order of Uttarakhand High Court on Monday in which it refused to intervene in the ongoing process of the Panchayat elections in 12 of the State’s districts and directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to ensure that the provisions of the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj act are not violated, the SEC started the process of allotment of symbols to the candidates on Monday. The commission had filed a review petition in the HC seeking clarification on its order dated July 11, 2025 in the Shakti Singh Barthwal versus State Election Commission and others case. The SEC had suspended the process of allotment of symbols to the candidates till 2 PM on Monday.
In an order, the State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar said that the process of allotment of the symbols will commence at 2 PM on Monday (July 14) and continue till 6 PM on the day. He said that the allotment of symbols to the remaining candidates will continue on July 15. In its order, the SEC made it clear that the process of the elections will continue as per the (amended) notification dated June 28, 2025.
Meanwhile, a total of 22,429 candidates have been elected unopposed in the three tier Panchayat bodies in 12 districts of the State. Now the elections for 11,082 posts will be held and a total of 32,580 candidates are in the fray. In the first phase, 17,829 candidates and in the second phase 14,751 candidates will contest.
The SEC secretary RK Goyal said that elections on 350 posts of district Panchayat members will be held and 1,587 candidates in the fray. Similarly 9194 candidates will fight it out for 2,732 posts of member block Panchayat. A total of 240 block Panchayat members have been elected unopposed in the State.
Goyal informed that 1,361 candidates have been elected unopposed on the post of Gram Panchayat Pradhan. A total of 17,564 candidates are in fray for 6,119 posts of Gram Pradhans. As per the data of SEC, 20,820 member Gram Panchayat have been elected unopposed.
The voting for the first and second phase will be held from 8 AM to 5 PM on July 24 and 28 respectively. The counting of the votes will commence at 8 AM on July 31 for both the phases and the process will continue till the official declaration of the results.
A total of 47,77,072 ( 23,10,996 female, 24,65,702 male) voters will exercise their franchise in the elections.
The elected members of block Panchayats will elect block Pramukhs while the elected district panchayat members will elect district Panchayat presidents in 12 districts. Goyal said that the commission is committed for smooth, transparent and impartial conduction of Panchayat elections in the State.
