The Punjab and Haryana high court has put Punjab state election commissioner (SEC) Raj Kumar Chaudhuri on contempt notice for alleged disobedience and non-compliance of court directions about conduct of future civic body elections in the state.
The high court bench of justice Vikas Suri acted on a plea by lawyer Nikhil Thamman, alleging SEC’s failure to comply with court directions regarding consideration of his representation, seeking implementation of an optional online nomination filing system for the elections of municipal corporations, municipal councils and panchayati raj institutions (PRIs).
The public interest litigation (PIL) had proposed the online nomination system for all future civic body and PRI elections, citing recurring incidents of violence, clashes, tearing of nomination papers, physical obstruction of candidates and chaotic situations witnessed during filing of nomination papers in local body elections in the state in December 2025.
The plea was disposed of by the court in February while asking the SEC to consider Thamman’s representation and pass a speaking order in 60 days.
But despite clear and categorical directions issued by the court, the SEC failed to comply with the court order, Thamman alleged in his contempt plea.
{{/usCountry}}But despite clear and categorical directions issued by the court, the SEC failed to comply with the court order, Thamman alleged in his contempt plea.
{{/usCountry}}Taking note of the submissions, the court issued a show-cause notice to the SEC, seeking explanation why contempt proceedings not be initiated against him, and deferred the hearing for May 27.