58 Candidates File Nominations for Dharamshala MC Polls: SDM

Dharamshala, May 2, 2026: A total of 58 candidates have filed nomination papers for the 2026 elections to the Municipal Corporation Dharamshala, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mohit Ratna said on Friday.
The nominations were submitted on April 29, April 30 and May 2 by candidates representing major political parties as well as independents across all wards. The contest has gained significance amid internal reshuffling within the Bharatiya Janata Party, which denied tickets to former Mayor Onkar Singh Nehria and outgoing Deputy Mayor Tajinder Kaur, leading to independent candidatures in some wards.
The civic body has seen multiple leadership changes in recent years. Neenu Sharma and Tejinder Kaur were elected in December 2023, marking a shift in control to the Indian National Congress. Earlier, Onkar Singh Nehria and Sarvchand Galotia held office following their election in April 2021, while Devinder Singh Jaggi had served as mayor in 2018 after previously being deputy mayor in 2016.
Ward-wise data indicates a mix of direct and multi-cornered contests. In Ward-1 (Forsyth Ganj), Himanshi (Congress) will face Rekha Devi (BJP). Ward-2 (Bhagsunag) has three candidates—Omkar Chand (Independent), Shamsher Singh (BJP) and Ashok Kumar (Congress). Ward-3 (McLeod Ganj) will witness a direct contest between Asha Devi (BJP) and Sudarshana (Congress).
Ward-4 (Kashmir House) has three candidates, including Mayor Neenu Sharma (Congress), Neha Sangal (BJP) and Veena Verma (Independent). Two-way contests are expected in Ward-5 (Khajanchi Mohalla) and Ward-11 (Ram Nagar), while Wards 6 (Kotwali Bazar) and 10 (Shyam Nagar) have three candidates each.
Multi-cornered contests are also expected in Ward-7 (Mini Secretariat), Ward-8 (Sports Complex), Ward-12 (Badol), Ward-13 (Dari), Ward-14 (Kand), Ward-15 (Khaniyara) and Ward-17 (Sidhbari), reflecting a competitive electoral landscape.
The SDM said scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted as per the election schedule. Candidates may withdraw their nominations by May 6 (3:00 pm), following which the final list of contesting candidates, along with election symbols, will be released.
Polling is scheduled for May 17, 2026. The administration is expected to face logistical challenges as polling coincides with an Indian Premier League match scheduled in Dharamshala on the same day, requiring additional coordination for security and traffic management.