Overview
- The Punjab State Election Commission, which announced the change on Wednesday, said BEL could not supply EVMs in time for training and deployment.
- Polling will be held on May 26 across eight municipal corporations, 76 municipal councils and 21 nagar panchayats, with counting on May 29.
- Officials set up 3,977 polling stations for about 3.67 million voters and prepared 4,200 ballot boxes to meet the schedule.
- A BJP delegation led by state chief Sunil Jakhar alleged a plan to rig counts and cited ward changes, hard-to-get voter lists and a viral Patiala police audio as evidence.
- The commission says the Punjab Municipal Election Rules, 1994 allow paper ballots when machines are unavailable, and it has not withdrawn the decision.