3 thousand Panchayat representatives were elected unopposed in this state, even the Supreme Court was surprised to know

New Delhi: In the recent elections held in Punjab, 3 thousand out of 13 thousand Panchayat representatives won the elections unopposed. The Supreme Court has also expressed surprise on this. The Supreme Court described this fact as ‘extremely strange’ during the hearing on Monday. With this, the court gave permission to the dissatisfied candidates to file an election petition.

Supreme Court issued notices

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar had earlier issued notices on the petition alleging rejection of nomination papers of several candidates and other electoral irregularities. The bench said that the aggrieved persons can file a petition before the Election Commission and the Commission will have to take a decision on them in six months.

Dissatisfied candidates can go to High Court

The top court said that the candidates whose nomination papers were rejected or torn can also approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court with their complaints. The court said that their petitions cannot be dismissed on the ground of breach of limitation period. The Chief Justice said that the petitions should be disposed of on merits.

Election Commission will decide in 6 months

“We allow the petitioner to file the election petition,” the order said. The State Election Commission will decide on the petitions in six months, if there is a delay the petitioners can approach the High Court.” The order said, “Those whose nominations were rejected or their documents were torn may file a review petition before the High Court in accordance with law… If their petition is rejected in the High Court then The petitioners have the right to come to this court.”

Even the Chief Justice was surprised

During the brief hearing, the Chief Justice expressed surprise when the court was told that out of more than 13,000 posts in the panchayat, candidates had been elected unopposed to 3,000 posts. The Chief Justice said, ‘This is very strange! I have never seen such figures…this is a huge number.

A lawyer claimed that a candidate’s election symbol was removed during the elections. The Supreme Court also expressed surprise that the High Court rejected hundreds of petitions without properly hearing the views of the affected parties. The bench issued notice on October 18 on a petition filed by Sunita Rani and others alleging irregularities in the panchayat elections held on October 15.

(With agency inputs)