The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday questioned the State Election Commission why no immediate corrective direction was issued to polling authorities despite allegations that an audio clip suggested instructions capable of influencing the electoral process. The Bench made it clear that the Commission must itself rise to the occasion when the allegations surface and not wait for others to trigger action.

The Bench, headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, broadly indicated that the petitions would be disposed of with an expectation that the Commission will issue appropriate directions. The Court pointedly asked why, assuming the contents of the clip were true, the SEC had not already instructed all district-level machinery that such “instructions need not be followed”.

The Bench, dur

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