No New Delimitation Before Bihar Panchayat Elections: Voting Will Be Held in Existing Wards and Areas

Patna, Bihar: Ahead of the Bihar Panchayat Elections 2026, the state government has put an end to the speculations regarding the delimitation of electoral areas. The government has clarified that no new delimitation of wards, panchayats, or electoral boundaries will take place before the elections.

This means that the upcoming elections, scheduled for 2026, will be held based on the existing boundaries, as per the delimitation done in 2021. Around 2.5 lakh positions across the Panchayati Raj institutions—comprising Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and District Councils—will be contested without any modifications to the current electoral areas.

Reservation Roster to Be Redefined

Although delimitation will not be changed, a new reservation roster will be drawn up before the elections. The State Election Commission is set to begin this process shortly. According to sources, data will be collected from all districts about the wards in revenue villages, including population figures and current positions. After cross-checking this data with the Commission’s master database, the reservation status will be determined.

Election Rumors and Commission’s Clarification

In recent days, rumors had been circulating in block headquarters that new wards and panchayats would be formed before the elections. This confusion led many citizens to visit the offices of the Election Commission. The Commission has now cleared the air, stating that the Panchayat elections will be held in multiple phases between September and November, with the process expected to conclude by December. The Election Commission is also considering taking action against those spreading such rumors.

What is Delimitation?

Delimitation is a legal process that determines the geographical boundaries of Gram Panchayats, wards, Panchayat Samitis, and District Councils. Its primary objective is to define electoral areas based on population to ensure that each elected representative represents a similar number of people. However, with limited time and no decision to revise boundaries this time, the 2021 delimitations will remain in effect.