Ensure adequate security for MC polls: High court to Punjab

Elections to five municipal corporations — Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Phagwara — 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats are scheduled for December 21.

The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to ensure that adequate security personnel are deputed at polling stations for December 21 local bodies’ polls in Punjab.

The nomination process began on December 9 and concluded on December 12. (Shutterstock)

The high court bench of justice Sureshwar Thakur and justice Sudeepti Sharma passed these directions while dealing with a petition from one Nikhil Kumar, a Patiala resident. The petitioner demanded measures for free and fair polls.

While disposing of the plea, the court asked authorities in Patiala to deal with the issues raised by him in his representation and also issued general directions to the SEC for providing sufficient security personnel at polling stations.

Elections to five municipal corporations — Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Phagwara — 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats are scheduled for December 21. The nomination process began on December 9 and concluded on December 12.