The Election Commission of India has told the Delhi High Court that it is awaiting a detailed inquiry report from Punjab before taking further steps on the registration application of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De). The commission said it received a sensitive objection concerning the organisation while its application was under consideration.
Objection prompted further inquiry
In affidavits to the court, the ECI said the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab had submitted a positive verification report on April 27, 2026. The commission said it received an objection on July 9 alleging that Waris Punjab De had separatist roots and raising concerns about its commitment to India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity. These are allegations reported in the ECI’s filing, not findings established by the court.
The ECI said it instructed the Punjab CEO to carry out a comprehensive background inquiry and provide a detailed report. That report had not arrived when the commission filed its amended affidavit on November 3, 2026, and reminders had been sent, according to the filing. The commission said it would take further steps under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act if the report is positive.
Party seeks a decision on its application
The application to register the proposed party under the name Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) was filed on January 22, 2025. The ECI said it issued a deficiency letter after scrutiny and gave the applicant 30 days to correct the documents. The corrected papers were submitted in January 2026, the commission said.
The party petitioned the High Court seeking a direction for the ECI to decide its application within a specified period, with an outer limit of one week. It also raised the prospect of lacking a common election symbol for the Punjab assembly election due in February 2027. The ECI argued that a common symbol for a registered, unrecognised party depends on lawful registration and that an applicant has no entitlement to a symbol while its application remains under examination.
The commission opposed the petition, arguing that the statutory process should not be bypassed before the inquiry is complete. Justice Saurabh Banerjee listed the matter for consideration on January 11, 2027.
