Why is Patiala Municipal Corporation Holding Fresh Elections

Karishma 19 Oct 2026 2 min read 3 views

The Patiala Municipal Corporation is heading for fresh elections in 30 wards after large-scale irregularities were reported in the last civic polls.

On October 17, the Supreme Court ordered re-polling in Ward No. 15 and 58. This comes just weeks after its September 28 order, where it had directed fresh elections in 28 other wards of Patiala.

What Actually Happened in December 2024?

Punjab held its Municipal Corporation elections in December 2024. In Patiala, the Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal alleged serious foul play. According to them, their candidates were not allowed to file nominations, papers were torn up, and booths were captured on polling day.

Taking note of these allegations, the Supreme Court set up a fact-finding committee headed by retired Justice Nirmaljit Kaur.

The committee found the allegations to be true. Its report stated that elections were compromised in 50 wards in total - 28 in Patiala and 22 in Moga district. Based on this report, the court ordered fresh polls.

When Will the Fresh Elections Take Place?

The Supreme Court has directed the state government to complete the entire election process within six weeks.

The draft voter list for the initial 28 wards was released on October 14, 2026. Citizens can file objections for addition, deletion, or correction of names between October 15 and October 23. All objections will be settled by October 31, and the final voter list will be published on November 3. Voting is likely to be held in mid-November.

Which Wards Will Go to Polls?

Initially, the list had 28 wards. With the addition of Ward 15 and 58, the total now stands at 30 . The wards are 1, 4, 6, 12, 14, 15, 16, 22, 26, 28,32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 57, and 58.

What Will Be Different This Time ?

To ensure transparency, the Supreme Court has ordered complete videography of the election process. A Judicial Monitoring Committee led by a retired High Court judge will supervise the polls, and senior advocates will be appointed as observers. All video footage will be preserved for future verification in case of any complaint.