Punjab & Haryana High Court Directs Videography Of Nomination Paper Filing In Municipal Corporation Elections
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday (December 12) directed the Punjab State Election Commission to video-graph the filing of nomination papers in the upcoming Punjab Municipal Corporation Election scheduled on December 21.
A division bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Kirti Singh in its order directed the State Election Commission, "that as and when municipal elections are conducted to the Municipal Corporation concerned, thereupon the respondents concerned, shall ensure that complete compliance is made to the guidelines issued by the State Election Commission, Punjab, relating to Videography of the nomination process till its withdrawal."
The Court directed the Chief Secretary of Punjab Government, to circulate this order to all the Returning Officers concerned and disposed of the plea.
The plea was filed by the candidates contesting the Punjab Municipal Corporation Election, seeking directions to conduct videography of the entire nomination process till the completion of the withdraw process to maintain transparency and fairness in the Municipal election.
It was alleged that the petitioners tried to fill the nomination papers after due compliance but the workers & leaders of the ruling AAP Government in Punjab, along with the police officials were not allowing the petitioners and other candidates of Patiala district to fill the nomination papers and were harassing them.
42 municipal councils and nagar panchayats are awaiting elections. In some municipalities elections have not taken place since tefour years.
On October 14, the High Court had issued a writ of mandamus to the Punjab's State Election Commission and Punjab Government to initiate the process of holding Municipal elections, within 15 days without conducting the fresh exercise of delimitation.
The Apex Court on November 11, had given further 2 weeks time to initiate the election process.
On December 3, while hearing the contempt plea the High Court granted further 15 days time to the Punjab Election Commissioner to initiate the process of conducting Municipal Corporation election in the State.
Mr. Ankush Verma, Advocate & Mr. N.K. Verma, Advocate for the petitioners.
Mr. Maninder Singh, Sr. DAG, Punjab.
Title: VIJAY KUMAR AND OTHERS v. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS