New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Saturday directed fresh elections in Ward numbers 15 and 58 of the Patiala Municipal Corporation in Punjab, while refusing to entertain a plea seeking similar directions for Ward numbers 10 and 11 of the Dharamkot Municipal Council as the two wards were not covered by the fact-finding report accepted by the apex court.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order on Friday while dealing with applications seeking clarification and directions in connection with its September 28 order directing fresh elections in certain municipal wards across Punjab’s municipal bodies.
Modifying paragraphs 11 and 12 of its earlier order, the CJI Kant-led bench said: “Ward numbers 15 and 58 of Patiala Municipal Corporation are also included for the purpose of conducting fresh election.”
“Consequently, fresh elections will be conducted in respect of Ward numbers 15 and 58 of the Patiala Municipal Corporation,” the order added.
However, the apex court declined to entertain a separate application seeking fresh elections in Ward numbers 10 and 11 of the Dharamkot Municipal Council.
“Since the directions for conducting fresh elections have been issued by accepting the report submitted by Justice Nirmaljit Kaur in entirety, we cannot entertain this application seeking inclusion of ward numbers 10 and 11 of Dharamkot Municipal Council,” the CJI Kant-led bench said.
“We say so for the reason that these wards are not included in the report of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur,” it added.
Both miscellaneous applications were accordingly disposed of.
Earlier, on September 28, the Supreme Court had directed fresh elections in 50 wards across municipal bodies in Punjab after accepting in entirety the recommendations of a fact-finding commission led by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Nirmaljit Kaur.
The Commission had examined allegations of widespread obstruction during the nomination process for municipal elections, including incidents in which nomination papers were allegedly snatched, torn or destroyed and candidates were assaulted, detained or threatened.
Its report found 50 ward elections to be vitiated, including 28 in Patiala district and 22 in Moga district, warranting fresh elections.
The Commission also found serious evidence of bogus or multiple voting and intimidation in Ward numbers 15 and 58 of the Patiala Municipal Corporation, sufficient to question the fairness of the elections.
Accepting the findings, the Supreme Court had directed fresh elections in the identified wards and ordered the constitution of a monitoring committee comprising a retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to oversee the process.
The apex court had also directed the appointment of senior members of the Bar as observers and ordered videography of the nomination process, scrutiny of nomination papers, allocation of election symbols and polling to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
The entire re-election process was directed to be completed within six weeks.
–IANS–
