Punjab panchayat polls to be held by May next year

, Nov 20: The elections to over 13,000 Panchayats in

, to be held through ward system, will be completed by May 31 next year.

The polls are scheduled for May 15 and 31, 2013, an official release said here today.

For the first time in Punjab, panchayat elections will be held through wards, and every ward would elect its panch, while sarpanchs will be elected through direct polls.

Strict instructions to the officials to complete demarcation process of the ward for the elections by Jan 31, 2013 have been issued, it said.

PTI