Jharkhand municipal polls to be held on February 23, counting on February 27
The Commission has clarified that there will be no option for NOTA (None of the Above) in these elections. Voting will be carried out using ballot papers and ballot boxes.
The State Election Commission has announced the schedule for municipal elections in Jharkhand. State Election Commissioner Alka Tiwari confirmed that polling will be held on February 23 across all municipal bodies in the state.
The counting of votes will take place on February 27. The election process will begin with the filing of nominations, which will be accepted from January 29 to February 4. Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations until February 6.
The Commission has clarified that there will be no option for NOTA (None of the Above) in these elections. Voting will be carried out using ballot papers and ballot boxes.
With the announcement of the election dates, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in all 48 municipal areas of Jharkhand.
The urban local body elections in Jharkhand are held without official party symbols, even though political parties support the candidates.
HC rebukes state govt
Earlier, the Jharkhand High Court strongly criticised the state government for failing to conduct these elections on time. The civic polls have been overdue for nearly three years.
At present, all urban local bodies are being run by government-appointed officials. In November 2025, the election commission informed the High Court that it would need about eight weeks to complete the required procedures and release the election notification.