Shimla civic polls on May 27

Shimla : The state election commission on Friday notified the election programme for the conduct of general election to the Shimla municipal corporation one of the oldest civic bodies in the country .

The election will be held on May 27 from 7 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Nomination papers can be filed from 5 to 8 May , a state election commission spokesman said .

The list of contesting candidates will be finalised on 11 May . Counting of votes for councellors , deputy mayor and mayor will take place on 28 May in the Shimla DM’s office .

The model code of conduct has come into force immediately after this announcement within the territorial jurisdiction of MC Shimla till the election process is completed on May 30 .

The Shimla civic body is one of the oldest in the country and was founded in 1851 . It has an elected body of 28 councellors out of which 25 are directly elected and 3 are nominated .

Ever since the committee became a corporation in the mid 1980s Congress has always held power .

This time though the ruling BJP has amended the law and the mayor and deputy mayor elections are taking place directly for the first time .

The outcome of the civic polls is seen as significant as later this year the state also goes for assembly polls .