No EVMs: High Court Rejects Plea, Clears Way for Ballot Papers in Punjab Civic Elections
In a major legal development ahead of the local body polls, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition that sought to mandate the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the upcoming municipal elections in Punjab.
With this judicial verdict, the uncertainty surrounding the polling methodology has officially come to an end. It is now explicitly clear that the upcoming Punjab Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council (Nagar Council) elections will be conducted the traditional way—using paper ballots.
The petition, which pushed for a transition to electronic voting to modernise the local polling system, was thoroughly reviewed by the bench before being rejected. By dismissing the plea, the High Court has given the green light to the state authorities to proceed with their existing preparations centered around ballot paper voting.
Key Takeaways from the Verdict:
- Traditional Voting Stays: Voters across Punjab’s municipal corporations and councils will use paper ballots instead of pressing buttons on EVMs.
- Petition Dismissed: The legal attempt to forcefully shift the state's civic election framework to electronic devices was rejected by the High Court.
- Clear Path for State Authorities: The ruling clears all logistical and legal ambiguity for the State Election Commission, allowing election schedules and printing to proceed uninterrupted.
Local political circles and administrative bodies are closely monitoring this outcome. While electronic voting has been the norm for general and state assembly elections, several regional civic polls continue to rely on traditional paper sheets.
With the court's definitive stamp on the matter, state election authorities are expected to expedite the procurement and logistical arrangements for paper ballots and secure boxes across all polling booths in Punjab.
