In the lead-up to the Punjab municipal elections, the Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected a PIL challenging the State Election Commission’s decision to move from electronic voting machines (EVMs) to ballot papers for the upcoming polls on May 26. The court stated that it was too late to intervene as the election process was already in an advanced stage, with ballot counting scheduled for May 29. The shift to manual paper ballots was defended by the State Election Commission, citing the impracticality of deploying EVMs with the limited time left before the elections.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry dismissed the plea that criticized the sudden switch to ballot papers without proper statutory amendments or public consultation. The petition argued that the move compromised the principles of free and fair elections, violating constitutional provisions. The State Election Commission clarified that under Article 243ZA, it had the exclusive authority to conduct municipal elections, emphasizing the logistical challenges in deploying EVMs at such short notice.
Advocate General Maninderjit Singh Bedi supported the State Election Commission’s stance, highlighting the logistical constraints in preparing EVMs for the polls. The Election Commission refuted the state government’s claim that extensive training and preparation time was needed for EVMs, stating that the entire process could be completed within a day. The upcoming elections in Punjab will see voters selecting representatives for eight municipal corporations and numerous municipal councils and nagar panchayats on May 26.
