Subhash Mahajan
Dalhousie
District Magistrate and Election Officer Mukesh Repswal has issued strict orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), read with provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Act, 1994, in view of the upcoming municipal elections scheduled for 17 May 2026 in Chamba, Dalhousie, and Chuwari.
According to the orders, all election campaigning, public meetings, processions, entertainment programs, and voter-influencing activities will be prohibited from 3 PM on 15 May 2026 until the conclusion of polling on 17 May 2026.
Key directives include:
- No election-related activities within 100 meters of polling stations on voting day.
- Ban on loudspeakers, megaphones, and sloganeering near polling centers.
- Carrying of weapons near polling stations will not be permitted, except by authorized personnel.
- Sale, distribution, and serving of liquor or intoxicants at hotels, restaurants, dhabas, liquor shops, or any public/private place will remain strictly prohibited from 3 PM on 15 May until the declaration of results.
The District Magistrate emphasized that these measures are essential to maintain law and order, public peace, and transparency during the electoral process. Violations will invite action under the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Act, 1994, and Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
