Kharar MC polls deferred; BJP seeks similar move in Mudki

Chandigarh: The State Election Commission (SEC), Punjab, on Sunday deferred elections to the Kharar municipal council following a Punjab and Haryana high court order pointing to anomalies in the 2021 delimitation exercise.The court, while disposing of a petition on Friday, noted that several newly added areas in the municipal council had not been included in wards, preventing residents from either voting or contesting the elections.Citing a communication from the local govt department, the SEC directed Mohali deputy commissioner-cum-district returning officer to terminate the ongoing election process for Kharar MC with immediate effect.The SEC said the deferment would continue until voters from the adjoining areas covered in the petition were included in the electoral process.It also stated that candidates who had already filed nominations would be entitled to a refund of nomination fees.A fresh election date would be announced after a revised notification from the local govt department, the SEC added.BJP seeks deferment of Mudki MC polls Punjab BJP on Sunday sought deferment of the Mudki municipal council elections in Ferozepur district, alleging violence, intimidation and obstruction in filing nomination papers.In a complaint to the SEC and Punjab DGP, BJP office secretary Suneel Dutt Bhardwaj alleged that opposition candidates, including BJP nominees, were threatened and prevented from filing nominations by "anti-social elements allegedly supporting the ruling AAP".