BATHINDA : A day after Supreme Court prodded Punjab government for inordinate delay in conducting election to Moga municipal committee, on Wednesday the state election commission issued notification for holding polls to Moga, Kharar, Muktsar, Sujanpur and Badhni Kalan municipalities .

Despite the apex court directing the state government on August 8 to complete the election process for Moga municipality before September 20, no notification was issued till August 26, after which the court on Tuesday threatened to start contempt proceedings for not taking its orders seriously. The SC order came after a petition was filed by Moga's former MC president Swaran Latta, wife of Moga Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain. In her petition, Swaran Latta accused the Punjab government of delaying municipal elections, which were due since March 21.

While the state government had taken the plea of "delimitation of municipal wards" for the delay, the Congress leaders of Moga alleged that the Akalis were not sure of their victory. The Congress leaders of Moga and Muktsar alleged that under the plea of delimitation of the municipal wards in these towns, the Akalis had reconstituted the wards with an aim to divide the Congress votes so that the party candidates have less chance of winning the election .

For the last about five month, the Akalis dictated their terms through appointed administrators, alleged Jain. "In the Punjab Municipal Act there is no provision for appointing an administrator to a municipality even for a single day," he said. According to the election notification, nominations can be filed between September 1 and 4, whereas scrutiny would be done on September 5 and September 6 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidature. The election process will be completed on September 17.