Justice Surya Kant’s bench on September 28 scrapped the results of 50 municipal wards across Punjab, a move that lands like a hammer blow on the Aam Aadmi Party’s local grip. The order, officially published October 7, follows a damning report by retired Justice Nirmaljit Kaur. She documented physical assaults, snatched nomination papers, and forced withdrawals in Patiala and Moga districts. This isn’t a technicality. It’s a constitutional reset.
The corruption was brazen. In Patiala, 13 wards were voided because opposition candidates couldn’t even file their names. Another 14 saw specific rivals forcibly excluded. Ward 28, held by senior deputy mayor Harinder Kohli, and Ward 12, held by deputy mayor Jagdip Singh Rai, are both on the chopping block. The commission found "serious evidence of bogus/multiple voting" in Ward 15. In Moga, the damage was total. All 15 wards in Baghapurana and seven in Dharamkot were declared vitiated due to coercive tactics by ruling party members and police officials.
The mechanics of the re-poll are tight. The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s Chief Justice has one week to appoint a monitoring committee led by a retired judge. Every step—from nomination to symbol allocation—must be videographed in front of senior bar association observers. The state government pays the bill. Results won’t be declared until the High Court Chief is personally satisfied the process was clean. No shortcuts. No backroom deals.
Political fire is already burning. Mohit Mohindra, Congress in-charge for Patiala Rural, called it a "historic step" on X, claiming victory for democracy. BJP leader Jai Inder Kaur went further, saying the ruling "exposes the AAP government." The state government remained silent as of press time. For now, the focus shifts to the 50 wards where voters will return to the polls within six weeks. The stakes? Total local control.