Ballot Paper Option Retained In Law To Address Ground Realities; Authorities May Revert From EVMs When Needed: P&H High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that the statutory framework governing municipal elections consciously retains the option of conducting polls through ballot papers and ballot boxes to address prevailing ground realities such as illiteracy, poverty, and logistical constraints. The Court noted that while Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been introduced, the law does not mandate their exclusive use, and authorities may revert to the traditional ballot system where circumstances...

'Intelligible Differentia': High Court Upholds Haryana Notification Removing Extended Retirement Age Benefit For Certain Disabled Employees

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has upheld the Haryana Government's decision to amend its service rules and withdraw the benefit of extended retirement age for certain categories of differently-abled employees, holding that fixing different retirement ages across employee categories does not amount to unlawful discrimination.Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said, "It...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Grants Parole To Life Convict To Prepare Documents Lost In Fire Incident

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has granted 8 weeks' parole to a life convict to enable him to prepare essential documents that were destroyed in a fire incident, observing that the denial of parole on mere apprehension of breach of peace is unsustainable in law.Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor noted, "The facts of the case would thus indicate that the petitioner has...

Senior Citizen Act Can't Be Used To Reclaim Property From Children Of First Wife Amid Family Dispute: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has dismissed a Letters Patent Appeal filed by a senior citizen seeking maintenance and cancellation of a property transfer in favour of his sons from his first marriage, holding that the dispute was essentially a family property matter and not a case of neglect under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.Justice Ashwani...

High Court Dismisses Plea Challenging Use Of Ballot Papers Instead Of EVMs In Punjab Local Body Polls

The Punjab & Haryana High Court today dismissed a PIL challenging decision of the State Election Commission to switch from Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to ballot papers in the upcoming Punjab local body polls.The elections for the local bodies in Punjab are scheduled to be held on May 26, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 29.The division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry rejected the plea ahead of Municipal General Elections, 2026.The...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Weekly Round-Up: May11 - May 17, 2026

Nominal Index [Citations 152 - 161]ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LIMITED V/S UNION OF INDIA 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 152 Sonu and others v. State of Haryana and others 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 153 XXXX v. XXXX 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 154 XXX v. State of Haryana 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 155Jagmohan Singh Bhatti Advocate 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 156STATE OF HARYANA V/S SURINDER SINGH AND ORS 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 157Parwinder Singh...

Preventive Detention | P&H High Court Quashes Confirmation Order For 'Non-Application Of Mind', Directs Release Of Detenue

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has quashed a preventive detention confirmation order under the PITNDPS Act, holding that the State Government cannot mechanically rely on the Advisory Board's opinion and must independently apply its mind while confirming detention and determining its duration.Justice Sumeet Goel said, "Any confirmation order that acts as a perfunctory rubber stamp or...

P&H High Court Imposes ₹6 Lakh Costs On Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira For Misusing Contempt Jurisdiction In Encroachment Dispute

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has dismissed Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira's contempt plea alleging illegal demolition, holding that contempt jurisdiction cannot be invoked to adjudicate disputes relating to alleged encroachment on public land. The Court imposed exemplary costs of ₹6 lakh on him for misuse of judicial process.Justice Sudeepti Sharma was dealing with a plea filed...

Imprisonment For Non-Payment Of Fine Must Be Proportionate To Amount Unpaid: Punjab & Haryana High Court In NI Act Case

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has reduced the sentence of a convict in a cheque bounce case to the period already undergone, while enhancing the compensation payable to the complainant, underscoring the principle that the “cost of liberty must be proportionate” when imprisonment is imposed for non-payment of monetary dues.Justice Anoop Chitkara said, "The fundamental principle that...

'Will Gangsters Stop If You Abstain From Work?' Punjab & Haryana High Court Raps Lawyers

The Punjab & Haryana High Court rapped lawyers for abstaining from work post-lunch today in a bid to express solidarity with former High Court Bar Secretary Gagandeep Jammu, on whom some unidentified assailants opened fire.The Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and directed the authorities to ensure his protection while also expediting the investigation into the...

Hotels Must Properly Verify Guest IDs, Maintain CCTVs To Prevent Misuse Of Premises For Crimes Against Women, Children: P&H High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed authorities in Haryana to examine whether hotels, guest houses and similar establishments are properly verifying the identity documents of guests and maintaining functional CCTV systems, while observing that such safeguards are essential to prevent misuse of premises for offences against women and children.Justice Neerja K. Kalson said, " Hotels...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Takes Suo-Motu Cognizance Of Gun Firing At Former Bar Secretary, Orders Protection & Expeditious Probe

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a recent incident involving gunshots fired at former High Court Bar Association Secretary Gagandeep Jammu, and directed the authorities to ensure his protection while also expediting the investigation into the case.The matter was taken up by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry, pursuant to...