High Court Halts Punjab Government's Municipal Election Plans
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a significant directive to the Punjab government, prohibiting it from announcing or notifying municipal elections until the next court hearing scheduled for February 18, 2026. This decision comes as the court hears over 20 petitions challenging the delimitation and ward formation processes for these elections.
Court Proceedings and Key Arguments
During the hearing before a division bench comprising Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi and Justice Vikas Suri, advocate N.K. Verma, representing several petitioners, presented critical arguments. He informed the court that the tenure of more than 100 municipal bodies is set to expire between February and May 2026. These include:
- Municipal corporations of Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Bathinda, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Mohali, Fazilka, Moga, and Barnala
- Numerous municipal councils and committees across Punjab
Verma emphasized that the government could potentially announce elections for these bodies at any moment. However, he argued that initiating the election process while the ward delimitation dispute remains unresolved would undermine the judicial process and could lead to serious constitutional complications in the future.
Court's Directives and Government's Position
The High Court took several important actions during the proceedings:
- Restraining Order: The court explicitly directed the Punjab government not to issue any election notification or make announcements regarding municipal elections until the next hearing date.
- Affidavit Requirement: The court noted that the Chief Secretary of Punjab had not yet filed an affidavit in the matter and directed immediate submission of this document to clarify the state's position.
- Judicial Process Protection: The bench reiterated that, in view of earlier restraint orders, the state government must refrain from any election-related announcements until the court resolves the delimitation issues.
Verma further clarified that the High Court's order makes it explicitly clear that the election process for municipal corporations and committees scheduled for 2026 cannot proceed until all issues related to ward delimitation are properly resolved through the judicial process.
Broader Implications and Next Steps
This development has significant implications for local governance in Punjab. With over 100 municipal bodies facing tenure expiration in early 2026, the court's intervention ensures that:
- The delimitation process will receive proper judicial scrutiny before any elections can be announced
- Constitutional procedures will be followed meticulously
- Potential legal complications will be avoided through proper judicial oversight
The matter will now be taken up for further hearing on February 18, 2026, when the court will continue examining the petitions challenging the delimitation and ward formation processes. Until then, the Punjab government remains legally restrained from taking any steps toward announcing or notifying municipal elections across the state.
