The Supreme Court has ordered fresh elections in Punjab’s 50 wards from Patiala and Moga districts. These include 28 wards of Patiala Municipal Corporation and 22 of Baghapurana and Dharamkot municipal councils in Moga district.
The order came after a prolonged legal battle arising from the December 2024 municipal elections, during which several candidates of these civic bodies alleged that members of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, police personnel and others prevented them from filing nomination papers.
The petitioners had alleged that candidates were physically assaulted, their clothes were torn and nomination papers were snatched during the filing process. They also alleged that the nomination process was not videographed despite directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The Supreme Court had then appointed a fact-finding commission headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Nirmaljit Kaur to examine the allegations. The present order of the apex court follows the submission of the report by the commission