In a major development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed nearly 700 petitions, paving the way for Panchayat elections in Punjab. The court has also lifted the stay it had imposed on the election process for around 250 Panchayats, which was set until October 14. As a result, voting will now proceed as scheduled, starting tomorrow at 8 AM.
Advocate General Gurvinder Singh termed this a significant relief for the public, stating that the uncertainty looming over the elections has finally been resolved.
The High Court began hearing the petitions early this morning, where each case was challenged on different grounds. Most of the petitions were filed by leaders and supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress. By 3:45 PM, the court delivered its verdict, dismissing the majority of the petitions. Although the Panchayat elections on October 15 will not be held on party symbols, opposition parties like Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have raised allegations that their candidates’ nominations were forcefully rejected, and no NOCs were issued. They have accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party of bias, bringing the matter to the attention of the Election Commission. Meanwhile, AAP has accused the opposition of creating unrest, even alleging the killing of their workers, prompting parties to seek legal intervention.
The elections will cover 13,937 Gram Panchayats in the state, with a total of 1.33 crore voters set to cast their ballots on October 15. Around 96,000 staff members have been deployed to ensure smooth election conduct. To maintain law and order, all police personnel and officers’ leaves have been canceled, and a public holiday has been declared in Punjab on election day.
