The Supreme Court has directed fresh elections in 50 municipal wards across Patiala and Moga districts of Punjab, following allegations of violence and obstruction during the nomination process for the December 2024 municipal elections.
The fresh elections will cover 28 wards of Patiala Municipal Corporation and 22 wards of the Baghapurana and Dharamkot Municipal Councils in Moga district.
The matter arose from allegations by several candidates that members of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), police personnel and others had prevented them from filing their nomination papers. The petitioners alleged that candidates were physically assaulted, their clothes were torn and nomination papers were forcibly snatched during the nomination process.
It was further alleged that the nomination proceedings were not videographed despite directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
In view of the seriousness of the allegations, the Supreme Court had appointed a fact-finding commission headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Nirmaljit Kaur to examine the circumstances surrounding the nomination process. The apex court’s latest direction for fresh elections follows the submission of the commission’s report.
