The Supreme Court has set aside elections in 50 municipal wards of Punjab and ordered fresh polls within six weeks under a monitoring mechanism overseen by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The detailed written order, passed on September 28 by a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, was officially made available on Wednesday.
The 50 wards comprise 28 in the Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Patiala Municipal Corporation — including the wards of the city's senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor — and 22 in the Dharamkot and Baghapurana municipal councils of Moga district. The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, accepted the findings of a one-member commission headed by retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmaljit Kaur, which found the elections in those wards "vitiated and deserving of being set aside".
What the fact-finding panel uncovered
The Supreme Court had appointed Justice Nirmaljit Kaur in March 2025 to conduct a fact-finding inquiry limited to the disputed wards, following petitions alleging that the electoral process had been compromised. According to the court's order, petitioners alleged that ruling-party members, police officials and unknown third parties prevented prospective candidates from filing nomination papers — including through physical assault, tearing of clothes and snatching of nomination documents — and that the nomination process was not video-recorded despite court directions.
The court-appointed panel examined these allegations over the course of its inquiry, and the Punjab government agreed to accept its report.
Fresh polls under court supervision
During the September 28 hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the court to clarify that the arrangement should not be treated as a precedent, and the bench accepted the submission, underlining the exceptional nature of its directions. The court also took note of allegations against government officials contained in the fact-finding report, with the Chief Justice observing that the authorities would now have to act on the accepted report.
The repoll order is among the most significant judicial interventions in a local-body election process in recent years, placing the entire exercise under the watch of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to ensure the process remains free and fair this time.
Sources:
- NDTV: Top Court Orders Repoll In 50 Municipal Wards In Punjab Over "Vitiated" Election Process
- The Statesman: Supreme Court orders fresh polls in Punjab municipal wards where panel found violence
- LawBeat: Supreme Court Orders Fresh Polls In Punjab Municipal Wards Where Violence Marred Election Process
The 50 wards comprise 28 in the Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Patiala Municipal Corporation — including the wards of the city's senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor — and 22 in the Dharamkot and Baghapurana municipal councils of Moga district. The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, accepted the findings of a one-member commission headed by retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmaljit Kaur, which found the elections in those wards "vitiated and deserving of being set aside".
What the fact-finding panel uncovered
The Supreme Court had appointed Justice Nirmaljit Kaur in March 2025 to conduct a fact-finding inquiry limited to the disputed wards, following petitions alleging that the electoral process had been compromised. According to the court's order, petitioners alleged that ruling-party members, police officials and unknown third parties prevented prospective candidates from filing nomination papers — including through physical assault, tearing of clothes and snatching of nomination documents — and that the nomination process was not video-recorded despite court directions.
The court-appointed panel examined these allegations over the course of its inquiry, and the Punjab government agreed to accept its report.
Fresh polls under court supervision
During the September 28 hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the court to clarify that the arrangement should not be treated as a precedent, and the bench accepted the submission, underlining the exceptional nature of its directions. The court also took note of allegations against government officials contained in the fact-finding report, with the Chief Justice observing that the authorities would now have to act on the accepted report.
The repoll order is among the most significant judicial interventions in a local-body election process in recent years, placing the entire exercise under the watch of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to ensure the process remains free and fair this time.
Sources:
- NDTV: Top Court Orders Repoll In 50 Municipal Wards In Punjab Over "Vitiated" Election Process
- The Statesman: Supreme Court orders fresh polls in Punjab municipal wards where panel found violence
- LawBeat: Supreme Court Orders Fresh Polls In Punjab Municipal Wards Where Violence Marred Election Process