11 october 2024 : The Punjab and Haryana High Court has criticized the Punjab government over the mishandling of Panchayat elections, focusing on the arbitrary rejection of nomination papers and alleged intimidation of candidates. The Bench, led by Justices Sandeep Moudgil and Deepak Gupta, pointed out the failure to follow due process, particularly the requirement that candidates be given an opportunity to rectify errors in their nomination papers, with clear notice specifying the time and location for scrutiny.
The Court noted that when questioned, state officials could not produce evidence of such notices being issued or confirm that petitioners were informed of the scrutiny process. It observed that the Returning Officer could not present the relevant documentation, and no signatures were available to confirm the petitioners’ attendance at the scrutiny.
The Bench emphasized that the reasons given for rejecting the nomination papers did not align with the provisions under the Punjab State Election Commission Act of 1994, specifically Sections 38 and 39, which govern such rejections.
