Supreme Court orders fresh polls in 50 Punjab municipal wards after nomination abuses
The Supreme Court has annulled elections in 50 municipal wards across Punjab and mandated new voting after a panel found candidates faced threats and their nomination papers were destroyed.
Following a report that detailed extensive interference in the nomination process, the Supreme Court has invalidated the December 2024 municipal elections in 50 wards of Punjab. The report, prepared by a single-member panel chaired by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmaljit Kaur, documented incidents where candidates were assaulted, detained, threatened and had their nomination papers snatched, torn or destroyed.
Accepting these conclusions, the Court ordered that new elections be held in 28 wards of Patiala district and 22 wards of Moga. The decision aims to ensure a free and fair electoral process in the affected local bodies. The original polls had taken place on December 21, 2024, but the Court’s intervention will require a fresh voting schedule for the disputed wards.
Why it matters
It safeguards democratic integrity by ensuring fair elections after evidence of intimidation and document tampering.
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