SC orders fresh polls in 50 Punjab municipal wards over nomination process obstruction
The Supreme Court has ordered fresh elections in 50 municipal wards in Punjab after a fact-finding commission reported widespread obstruction during the nomination process in the local body polls.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana set aside the elections in 28 wards in Patiala district and 22 in Moga.
The order followed the court's acceptance of the findings of a one-member commission headed by former high court judge Nirmaljit Kaur.
The local body elections were held on December 21, 2024. The commission was constituted on March 24, 2025, and submitted its report on November 18, 2025.
According to the commission's findings, candidates faced widespread obstruction while filing nominations. The report said nomination papers were allegedly snatched, torn or destroyed, while some candidates were assaulted, detained or threatened.
Accepting the commission's recommendations, the Supreme Court directed that fresh elections be held in the 50 affected wards. The entire re-election process must be completed within six weeks.
The court also took note of senior advocate Kapil Sibal's submission that the Punjab government had no objection to the commission's recommendations.
The bench directed the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to nominate at least two or three senior members of the high court bar as observers for the re-election process.
The filing and scrutiny of nomination papers, allocation of election symbols and polling will be videographed in the presence of the observers. The recordings will be preserved and submitted to the Monitoring Committee.
The Punjab government has also been directed to provide the Monitoring Committee with ward-wise details of officials deployed for election duty before nominations begin. The list must also include police officers of the rank of DSP and above who will be deployed for the elections.
The court said complaints regarding any interference or obstruction in the re-election process, including by government officials, can be submitted to the Monitoring Committee.
The Chief Justice of the high court will determine the honorarium for the Monitoring Committee and observers. Their honorarium and incidental expenses will be borne by the Punjab government, which will also provide them with secretarial, transport, logistical and security support.
After the re-election process is completed, a report will be submitted to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The Supreme Court said the re-election would be considered complete only after the Chief Justice is satisfied, based on the report, that the polls were conducted in a free and fair manner.
Several candidates who allegedly could not file their nomination papers, as well as those who challenged the election of the mayor and deputy mayor of the Patiala municipal body, had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
On January 10, 2025, the high court allowed the Patiala municipal corporation elections to proceed, holding that the deferment of elections in some wards would not prevent the process.
The candidates subsequently challenged the high court's order before the Supreme Court. (with inputs from PTI)
