The Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission has suspended nine officials, including panchayat secretaries and an inspector, for not preparing voter lists on time for the upcoming panchayat elections. Two block development officers have also been issued show-cause notices.
Officials penalised for negligence in voter list preparation
The Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission on Thursday suspended nine government officials for negligence in preparing the voter lists for the upcoming panchayat elections. The action includes suspension of several panchayat secretaries and an inspector, while two block development officers (BDOs) have been asked to explain their failure through show cause notices.
State Election Commissioner Anil Kumar Khachi said the commission had instructed that the draft voter lists for all gram panchayats be completed between September 20 and 26. However, during a review, it was found that several officials had not followed the guidelines and failed to complete the process within the deadline.
"Nine officials, including panchayat secretaries, have been suspended, as they did not prepare the voter list as per the instructions. Two block development officers (BDO) have been issued a show cause notice as the work was to be done under their supervision," Khachi said, according to a PTI report.
Polls to be held across 3,500 gram panchayats
The panchayat elections in Himachal Pradesh are expected to take place between December 2025 and January 2026 across more than 3,500 gram panchayats. Preparing accurate and updated voter lists is a crucial part of the pre-election process to ensure transparency and fairness in local polls.
The commission stated that further disciplinary action may be taken if similar lapses occur in other districts. It also reminded district officers and BDOs to personally monitor the process to prevent irregularities in future.
Keywords: Himachal Pradesh, panchayat elections, voter list, suspension, election commission
