The Supreme Court has cancelled elections held in 50 municipal wards in Punjab and directed that fresh voting be completed within 6 weeks. The affected wards include 28 in Patiala district and 22 in Moga.
The order followed the court's acceptance of a report by a one-member commission chaired by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmaljit Kaur. The commission examined allegations of widespread disruption during the nomination process for the local-body elections.
What the inquiry report recorded
According to the findings referred to by the bench, nomination papers were allegedly snatched, torn or destroyed. Candidates were also reported to have faced assault, detention or threats during the process.
The local-body elections had taken place on 21 December 2024. The commission was appointed on 24 March 2025 and submitted its report on 18 November 2025.
Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana directed that the election process in the 50 wards should be conducted again. The bench issued the directions in an order dated 28 September, which was uploaded the following night.
Safeguards for the fresh election
The court has asked the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to nominate at least two or three senior members of the High Court Bar to act as observers during the renewed process.
The nomination, scrutiny, submission of papers, allocation of election symbols and voting will be videographed in the observers' presence. The recordings must be preserved and submitted to the monitoring committee.
Before nominations begin, the Punjab government must provide the committee with ward-wise details of officials and staff assigned to election duty. It must also submit the names of police officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and above who are deployed for the process.
Any complaint alleging interference or obstruction by an official or another person may be submitted to the monitoring committee. The High Court Chief Justice will decide the honorarium for the committee and observers.
The Punjab government will bear their honorarium and related expenses. It must also provide secretarial, transport, logistical and security support.
Court-supervised completion
The monitoring arrangements will continue until the renewed election process is completed. Afterward, a report must be submitted to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The process will be treated as complete only when the High Court Chief Justice is satisfied, on the basis of that report, that the elections were conducted freely and fairly.
The matter reached the Supreme Court after candidates and others dissatisfied with the mayor and deputy mayor elections in the Patiala municipal body approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Some candidates alleged that they had not been allowed to submit their nomination papers.
On 10 January 2025, the High Court allowed elections in the Patiala Municipal Corporation and held that poning elections in some wards would not create an obstruction. Candidates dissatisfied with that decision then moved the Supreme Court.
The Punjab government, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, told the Supreme Court that the state had no objection to the commission's suggestions.
Conclusion
The Supreme Court has ordered a fresh election process in 50 Punjab municipal wards within 6 weeks, with videography, observers, monitoring and a final High Court review intended to ensure that the process is free and fair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many Punjab wards will have fresh elections?
The fresh election process will cover 50 municipal wards.
Q. Which districts are involved?
The affected wards are in Patiala and Moga districts.
Q. How are the wards divided?
Patiala district has 28 affected wards, while Moga has 22.
Q. Why did the Supreme Court order fresh elections?
The direction followed an inquiry report that described large-scale obstruction during the nomination process.
Q. What was allegedly done to nomination papers?
The report recorded allegations that nomination papers were snatched, torn or destroyed.
Q. What protections will apply during the renewed process?
The process will be videographed in the presence of observers, and complaints may be made to a monitoring committee.
Q. Who will pay for the monitoring arrangements?
The Punjab government will cover the honorarium and related expenses and provide required support.
Q. When will the process be considered complete?
It will be considered complete after the High Court Chief Justice is satisfied that the elections were conducted freely and fairly.
