Supreme Court Orders Fresh Polls in 50 Punjab Municipal Wards

On September 28, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana set aside elections in 50 municipal wards across Patiala and Moga districts. Fresh elections must be completed within six weeks, with a monitoring committee—including senior members of the Punjab and Haryana High Court bar—overseeing nominations, symbol allocation, polling and videography.

New Indian ExpressThe HinduThe Indian ExpressSC orders re-election in 50 Punjab wards, BJP demands Bhagwant Mann's exit Hindustan TimesRe-Polls in Punjab: What Prompted the Supreme Court to Order Fresh Polls Across 50 Wards in Punjab The Indian ExpressAfter SC orders fresh polls, oppn seeks Patiala mayor’s resignation, civic body’s dissolution SC's Justice Sheel Nagu recuses from Punjab plea against HC-ordered CBI probe into corruption charges linked to CM Bhagwant Mann’s aides

The contested local-body polls were held on December 21, 2024. Opposition parties—including the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)—claimed their candidates were barred from filing nominations through intimidation and police-presented violence. The High Court stayed elections in seven wards before polling; the parties then approached the Supreme Court. The commission, appointed on March 24, 2025, examined claim petitions, CCTV footage and affidavits before reporting on November 18, 2025.

SC orders re-election in 50 Punjab wards, BJP demands Bhagwant Mann's exit

• Patiala Municipal Corporation: 28 of 60 wards to be re-polled. AAP had originally won 25, BJP 2 and Congress 1.

The Indian Express

• Baghapurana Municipal Council (Moga): all 15 wards subject to fresh voting.

The Indian Express

• Dharamkot Municipal Council (Moga): 7 of 13 wards will be re-polled.

The Indian Express

In the December 2024 poll, AAP secured 50 of Patiala’s 60 wards, winning 15 unopposed and 35 after voting. Opposition candidates say their nominees were barred in Baghapurana and Dharamkot, leading to unopposed AAP victories in those bodies.

The Indian Express

The Punjab government, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, said the state has no objection to the commission’s recommendations. The Court also directed the state to furnish a ward-wise list of election officials and senior police officers before nominations begin.

New Indian Express

SAD functionary Daljit Singh Cheema urged the governor to dismiss the state election commissioner, accusing the administration of “looting” the municipal elections. Congress senior Mohit Mohindra thanked the Court, calling the order a “historic step” and a “litmus test” ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

After SC orders fresh polls in 50 wards, SAD urges Punjab governor to dismiss poll commissioner Chaudhuri

• “We subsequently approached the Supreme Court and are grateful that repolling has now been ordered in 28 wards,” — Mohit Mohindra

The Indian Express

• “It is indeed a historic step by the Supreme Court. Justice has prevailed. Congress had filed petitions with regard to poll violations in 27 wards of Patiala, out of which repolls have been ordered in 26 wards. The repolls will be a litmus test for AAP as well as us since the 2027 Assembly polls are round the corner.” — Amit Singh Rathi, SAD Patiala district president

The Indian Express

• “The party which came into politics in the name of Swaraj has become the party of ‘goondaraj’.” — Gaurav Bhatia, party spokesperson

ThePrint

The commission’s report documented extensive irregularities but did not determine whether the violations altered outcomes in the affected wards, leaving the impact of the re-polls on municipal power balances uncertain.

Hindustan Times

The re-polling must be finished within six weeks of the September 28 order. A monitoring committee, to be formed within a week by the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, will supervise all stages. Results will be declared only after the committee and the High Court Chief Justice are satisfied that the elections were free and fair.

Hindustan Times