New Delhi/Chandigarh, 11 November 2024: The Supreme Court has extended the deadline for the Punjab government to conduct municipal elections from two weeks to eight weeks, providing relief to the state.
This decision came in response to an appeal by the Punjab government against a directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court mandating the immediate scheduling of elections for Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils.
The apex court mentioned the importance of adhering to the new eight-week timeline for completing the election process.
Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the delays by the Punjab government in organizing these elections.
The High Court had earlier issued an order requiring the Punjab government to release an election notification within 10 days. However, the state government sought an extension, leading to the current Supreme Court ruling.
The five-year terms for the Municipal Corporations of Phagwara, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana, along with 42 Municipal Councils in Punjab, have already expired.
In a hearing on October 14, the High Court ordered the issuance of an election notification within 15 days, disregarding any ward delimitation processes. However, the notification was delayed due to official holidays, leading to a contempt petition against the Punjab government.
The High Court then issued a defamation notice and directed the government to issue the election notification within 10 days, warning of a Rs 50,000 fine and potential legal action for further delays.
With the Supreme Court’s recent decision, the Punjab government now has until early January 2025 to complete the municipal election process.
