Supreme Court Cancels Elections in 50 Punjab Wards, Orders Fresh Polls in Six Weeksਸੁਪਰੀਮ ਕੋਰਟ ਨੇ 50 ਵਾਰਡਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਰੱਦ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ, ਛੇ ਹਫ਼ਤਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੁੜ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਦਾ ਹੁਕਮ

The Supreme Court of India has cancelled the municipal elections held in 50 wards across Punjab and ordered fresh polls to be completed within six weeks, accepting the findings of a court-appointed commission that candidates were assaulted, threatened and prevented from filing their nomination papers during the December 2024 civic elections.

What did the Supreme Court order?

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, set aside the election results in 28 wards of the Patiala Municipal Corporation and 22 wards in Moga district. The order, passed on September 28 and uploaded recently, directs that the entire re-election process be completed within six weeks under judicial monitoring.

What did the inquiry find?

The bench acted on the report of a one-member fact-finding commission headed by retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmaljit Kaur, appointed in March 2025 to examine allegations of interference in the nomination process. According to legal reporting on the commission's findings, nomination papers were snatched, torn or destroyed, while candidates were assaulted, detained or threatened as they tried to file their papers. The commission also recorded that the nomination process had not been videographed despite directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Which wards are affected?

In Patiala, 28 wards of the municipal corporation were found vitiated, mainly because opposition candidates were prevented from filing nominations or contesting. In Moga district, all 15 wards of the Baghapurana municipal council and seven wards of the Dharamkot council were similarly affected by systematic obstruction of opposition candidates, including coerced withdrawals and wrongful rejection of nominations.

What happens next?

The court has ordered that a retired High Court judge be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to monitor the re-election, with two or three senior lawyers nominated as election observers. The nomination process, allocation of symbols and polling must be videographed, and complaints about interference are to be placed before the monitoring committee. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Punjab government, told the court that the state had no objection to accepting the commission's recommendations.

When were the original elections held?

The municipal elections at the centre of the dispute were held on December 21, 2024, for local bodies across Punjab. The Supreme Court appointed the fact-finding commission in March 2025, and the commission submitted its report in November 2025.

Why were the polls cancelled?

The court accepted the commission's finding that the electoral process in these 50 wards was vitiated because candidates faced assault, intimidation and obstruction while trying to file their nomination papers, including papers being snatched, torn or destroyed.

What monitoring has the court ordered for the fresh polls?

A retired High Court judge will monitor the re-election, senior lawyers will act as observers, and nominations, symbol allocation and polling will be videographed so that any interference is on record.

Did the Punjab government oppose the order?

No. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state, informed the court that Punjab had no objection to accepting the fact-finding commission's recommendations.