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Court-Ordered Punjab Repolls Put AAP Under Pressure Before 2027
The Supreme Court has ordered new elections in 50 local-government wards in Punjab.
A court-appointed group found problems during the earlier elections, including candidates being stopped from signing up to run.
Opposition parties say this shows that the elections were unfair.
The Aam Aadmi Party won all 50 wards that will vote again.
The new votes will take place in parts of Patiala and Moga districts.
The court says they must be finished within six weeks.
AAP says it is ready to compete again and will talk about development.
The results may matter to the parties as they prepare for the 2027 state election.
The Supreme Court ordered repolling in 50 municipal wards in Patiala and Moga after a court-appointed commission found multiple violations in the December 2024 local elections.
The repolls cover 28 wards in Patiala, all 15 wards in Baghapurana and seven wards in Dharamkot.
The commission found allegations including candidates being prevented from filing nominations, illegal detention, torn or snatched nomination papers, intimidation and bogus voting.
Opposition parties say the findings support their allegations that the electoral process was undermined; AAP won all 50 wards now set for repolls.
The court directed that repolling be completed within six weeks, making the contests a test for parties ahead of Punjab’s 2027 Assembly elections.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Aam Aadmi Party and Opposition parties including Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal.
- What
- The Supreme Court ordered repolling in 50 municipal wards after a fact-finding commission found multiple violations in the previous polls.
- Where
- Patiala Municipal Corporation and the Baghapurana and Dharamkot municipal councils in Punjab.
- When
- The original local body polls took place in December 2024; repolling is to be completed within six weeks of the order.
- Why
- A court-appointed fact-finding commission found violations including obstruction of candidates during nominations, intimidation and bogus voting.
Opposition parties
Aam Aadmi Party
Whether the earlier polls were fair
Opposition parties
Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders allege their candidates were obstructed, intimidated or prevented from filing nominations. They say the court’s order supports their claims.
Aam Aadmi Party
AAP Mayor Kundan Gogia said the party was ready for repolling and expected to win again, with development as its campaign plank.
Political significance of the repolls
Opposition parties
Opposition leaders describe the repolls as a victory for democratic rights and a test for AAP ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Aam Aadmi Party
AAP presents the new contests as an opportunity to defend its record and campaign on development.
Key facts
- Wards facing repolls
- 50
- Patiala wards
- 28 of 60 municipal corporation wards
- Baghapurana wards
- All 15 municipal council wards
- Dharamkot wards
- 7 of 13 municipal council wards
- Original polling
- December 2024
- Repoll deadline
- Within six weeks, as directed by the Supreme Court
- AAP’s prior wins in affected wards
- All 50 wards; in Patiala, it had won 25 of the 28 wards now ordered for repolls
Quotes
Patiala Mayor Kundan Gogia
Mayor of Patiala and AAP representative
“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.”
indianexpress.com
“We are ready for repolling if it has been ordered by the Supreme Court. We will again win and make a clean sweep. Development will be our poll plank.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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