- विज्ञापन -
The Supreme Court has ordered an inquiry into complaints of candidates being denied filing nominations in the 2024 municipal elections. Former Justice Nirmaljit Kaur of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been appointed for the inquiry.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh of the Supreme Court said that Justice Nirmaljit Kaur will have to do this work on a daily basis on priority basis and submit the report as soon as possible. However, the court did not express any opinion on the merits of the matter.
The petitioners included members of various national political parties. They alleged that people associated with the ruling party, police officers and other unknown persons prevented them from filing nomination papers.
They also claimed that they were assaulted, their clothes were torn and their nomination papers were snatched away.
The order came after petitions challenging the decisions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the 2024 municipal elections. The petitioners had alleged that many candidates were prevented from filing nominations, due to which they could not participate in the elections.
Agreement for fair investigation
The bench said that both the parties have agreed to form a fact-finding commission, deviating from the prescribed procedure, for a fair investigation, but it will be limited only to those constituencies which are already pending in the court.
The court clarified that only those people will be able to file their complaint, who have already filed a petition in the High Court or Supreme Court. The next hearing of the case will be on May 22.
