The new process has been communicated to all District Election Officers and Returning Officers.

Punjab Panchayat Polls: SEC Simplifies Nomination Process, Removes NOC and Chulha Tax Issues

The Punjab State Election Commission (SEC) has announced a significant ease of the nomination process for the upcoming panchayat elections to remove the need for a “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) or “No Dues Certificate” (NDC). Rather, aspirants can now file a simple self-declaration affidavit.

According to the SEC’s notice with reference to its earlier directive from 26 September 2024, a candidate who fails to secure an NOC or dues-clearance certificate may submit an affidavit with a declaration that they don’t have any outstanding tax or dues and that they don’t occupy any property belonging to local authorities. The new process has been communicated to all District Election Officers and Returning Officers.

This change comes after many complaints by candidates from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), who had reportedly struggled to obtain NOCs, particularly clearance of the archaic “chulha tax” within the time limit to file their nomination papers, the publication noted. The chulha tax, a long-standing levy based on the number of cooking stoves (chulhas) in a household, was earlier one of the key issues for those seeking eligibility under the previous rules.

As per the SEC’s revised schedule, nominations for the General Elections to Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis are open from December 1 to December 4, 2025 (until 3 pm). Affidavits submitted in lieu of NOCs can be verified and attested by an executive magistrate, an oath commissioner or a notary public, widening the options for applicants, according to the SEC’s notice cited in the report.

According to the report, once nomination papers (with an affidavit) are accepted, the Returning Officer forwards them to the concerned authority, which must respond within 24 hours. If no response is received, the candidate will be deemed free of any dues or unauthorised property occupation.

By scrapping the NOC requirement and associated chulha-tax clearance, the SEC has removed a procedural barrier that often hindered aspirants, especially from less privileged or opposition-leaning backgrounds, from contesting elections. This reform promises to make the nomination process smoother, more transparent and more accessible for a wider section of rural Punjab.

This update reflects how a decades-old, symbolic tax and cumbersome clearance requirement had become a real issue for democratic participation and how simple procedural reform might help make a change.

Source: The Tribune