Panjab Civic Polls Through Ballot Paper Amid Sporadic Violence

Elections to eight Municipal Corporations and 97 Municipal Councils in Panjab took place on 26 May in which 7,555 candidates contested across 1,896 wards. Of them, 1,613 candidates contested for 396 wards in eight Municipal Corporations; 5,142 candidates contested in 1,282 wards in 75 Municipal Councils; 800 candidates contested 218 wards of 20 Nagar Panchayats (town councils). The electorate across the 103 urban bodies stood at 3.5M, of which 65.18% voted. 32K police personnel and 35K election staff were deployed. Earlier, on 22 May, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) had dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging use of ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting machines (EVMs). The Panjab State Election Commission (SEC) informed the court that the civic body polls in the state are being conducted through ballot papers, as the Election Commission of India (ECI) failed to provide EVMs according to the schedule finalized by SEC. On 25 May, the Supreme Court of India also dismissed the PIL. In another case challenging the delimitation of wards for the elections in some councils, the Panjab government assured the court that the elections will be conducted based on the ward delimitation finalized on 16 Apr and the case has been closed. Elections to four Municipal Councils are deferred to 10 Jun. In councils where seats are reserved for women candidates, they are contesting the elections in record numbers. However, on the campaign trail, often the husbands or male family members of the candidates are taking charge of the microphones, strategy meetings and public outreach. Even in posters, the woman candidate’s photograph often appears modestly in one corner, while a much larger image of her husband dominates the poster, projecting an image of a local strongman or political operator. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party's Meri Rasoi (My Kitchen) Scheme also triggered a political storm in Jalandhar with Opposition parties accusing the government of openly misusing a welfare scheme for campaigning. Shiromani Akali Dal requested for an extension in polling hours. On polling day, there were clashes in Bathinda; violence in Raikot, Ludhiana district, Moga's Ward 41, Barnala's Ward 33; heated arguments between rival parties took place at Faridkot and Mansa. The results of the civic polls will be declared on 29 May (earlier coverage).

Representational Image by Indian Express

Census: Casteist Slur in Form Triggers Storm; Teachers Object to Duties

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has directed the Director of Census Operations, Panjab, Navjot Khosa to submit a report within 15 days on a complaint alleging the use of ‘casteist words’ in official lists prepared for the upcoming Census exercise. On May 14, the NCSC took cognizance of a complaint by Hardeep Singh Gill, vice-chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (sanitation workers), alleging use of derogatory caste references in documents meant for census operations. NCSC has asked Khosa to submit an action-taken report against those responsible for including these words in the document. Responding to NCSC, Khosa said, ‘The proforma we have given to the enumerators has been in use since 1950. There are 39 castes in Panjab. The proforma is meant to ask the people about their castes. It is not being used as a slur.’ She also added that this proforma was in practice even in the 2011 census and that no new caste has been added in it. However, soon after receiving the notice, Panjab government decided to delete the controversial terminology. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann cleared a proposal moved by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment to remove two caste-indicative words from the survey format and replace them with the word Valmiki. Panjab, with the highest Dalit (marginalized caste) population in India and history of caste-related assertions, remains sensitive to any perceived caste-based slurs. Meanwhile, Panjab’s first-ever Drug and Socio-Economic Census 2026—launched to assess the extent of the drug problem in the state—has triggered a political storm. Teachers conducting the survey allege that a large chunk of the questionnaire resembles a feedback survey on the Aam Aadmi Party government’s schemes ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. For example, one question asks respondents if they observed improvement in canal water supply after the Mann government came to power in 2022. The drug survey is expected to cover nearly 6.5M households across Panjab through 28K government employees over a period of three months. Teachers conducting the survey allege they have been instructed not to count alcoholics as addicts. A teacher, Ram Singh, suffered a paralysis attack while conducting the survey alone in scorching heat in Ludhiana district, while 40 teachers were issued notice in Patiala district for skipping Census duty (earlier coverage).

Marco Rubio & Narendra Modi Photo by The Pioneer

US Secretary of State Visits India; Fuel Prices Raised Fourth Time in 10 days

US President Donald Trump indicated on 23 May that the deal with Iran was 'largely negotiated' but on 24 May he said, 'The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal.' On 25 May, President Trump said the Iran deal will either be a 'meaningful one' or there will be no deal at all, signalling that talks may drag. The reason for this delay seems to be resistance from Republican lawmakers that the negotiation was favorable to Iran. Meanwhile, during his four-day visit to India, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. Rubio said India has committed to purchasing USD 500B worth of US goods over the next five years, with a focus on energy, technology and agriculture. Rubio also indicated that US's plans for energy supply to India involve Venezuela's crude oil, which India is already buying. Parallelly, India's forex reserves are depleting at an alarming rate because imports are exceeding exports by a large margin and are estimated to widen to USD 70B in 2026–27. India's Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has said the country is facing a 'live balance of payments stress test.' In April, the export shipment value of Basmati rice—mostly grown in Panjab—fell by 6%. To deal with the situation, India is looking to Oman for continuation of its vital trade in essential foods—rice, meat, poultry, dairy, fruits and vegetables—with the broader region by routing shipments through Omani ports and land routes, avoiding high-risk maritime zones. To procure fertilizers for the monsoon paddy sowing season, of which Panjab is a major consumer, Indian Potash Limited floated a consolidated tender seeking 521K T of ammonia, but received bids totalling only 239K T. Concurrently, the Indian government is steadily increasing fuel prices, with the fourth hike in the last 110 days on 25 May. Petrol price has now been raised by USD 0.084 (INR 8.06) and diesel by USD 0.082 (INR 7.80). This will have a cascading effect on all commodities. The Petrol Pump Dealers Association Punjab alleged oil companies were deliberately cutting fuel supply to decrease losses, forcing them to ration supplies (earlier coverage).

Panjab Governor Gulab Chand Khataria & SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami Photo by the Tribune

Anti-Sacrilege Law Discontent Grows; Sikh Leaders Meet Governor

Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) acting Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj held a meeting on 24 May with representatives of Gurdwara management committees and Sikh organizations on the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act (JJGGSS), 2026, at Gurdwara Dewan Asthan in Jalandhar. Giani Gargajj said, 'The first incident (of sacrilege) took place in the 1970s and culminated in the 1978 clash involving the Nirankari sect. Later, issues emerged around Piara Singh Bhaniarawala, and then the 2015 sacrilege incidents linked to the Sirsa dera (sect) surfaced. A pattern is clearly visible.' He said if followers of any sect were found involved in sacrilege incidents, legal provisions should also hold the heads of such sects accountable. ‘However,’ Giani Gargajj said, 'the new law creates suspicion around the Sikh sangat (community) itself and imposes restrictions on it.' On 19 May, at a press conference at the Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha office in Chandigarh, Justice Nirmal Singh, a retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, said the amended JJGGSS law must be repealed because its provisions lowered the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture and charter). Pointing at the gaps in the amendments, Justice Nirmal Singh said, 'How the holy scripture is kept as case property, could amount to sacrilege in itself.' He added, ‘When the JJGGSS Act was passed initially in 2008, it was objectionable and it is flawed even now.' On 22 May, Giani Gargajj and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami met Panjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria at Gurdwara Sri Manji Sahib Patshahi Daswi, Alamgir, Ludhiana and handed him a list of objections to the JJGGSS law. The Governor said he is considering convening a meeting with representatives of the state government to discuss objections raised by Sikh organizations. Concurrently, the Supreme Court of India on 20 May declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation seeking a sweeping regulatory overhaul of Sikh religious and heritage properties across India. The Chief Justice of India said, 'If we step in, it might appear as though there is interference in religious matters,' and advised the petitioner to meet the Parliamentary Committee instead (earlier coverage).

Yashinder Kaur Photo by Indian Express

Singer Murdered by Canada-Based Boyfriend; Dowry Deaths Still on Rise

Panjabi singer Yashinder Kaur alias Inder from Ludhiana, was allegedly abducted and murdered by her Canada-based boyfriend and his associates, who later dumped her body in a canal. Yashinder’s decomposed body was recovered from the Neelon canal six days after she went missing on 13 May. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, Inderjit Singh Boparai, the prime accused identified as Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukha, a native of Moga district came from Canada to execute the crime. Boparai said, ‘He (Sukhwinder) first landed in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 30 Apr and then further travelled to India. After executing the murder, he fled back to Canada.’ The Ludhiana police have arrested two people in connection with the crime: Sukhwinder’s father Pritam Singh and an accomplice, identified as Karamjit Singh of Bhaloor village, Moga district. Sukhwinder allegedly abducted 29-year-old Yashinder at gunpoint and then killed her. Sukhwinder and Karamjit then allegedly dumped her body in the Neelon canal. Sukhwinder and Yashinder were in a relationship for five years, which started on Instagram. The couple had even agreed to marry with their respective families having met. However, no one from Sukhwinder’s side revealed to Yashinder or her family that Sukhwinder was already married with children. When Yashinder pressured him to marry her, Sukhwinder decided to kill her. The All Indian Cine Workers Association has demanded a high-level probe and strict action for her death. Meanwhile, dowry-related incidents from different parts of India have once again drawn attention to the continuing crisis of violence against women. According to the Crime in India 2024 report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded 5,737 dowry deaths in 2024, meaning an average of 15 to 16 persons lose their lives daily due to dowry-related violence, harassment, or forced suicide. 39 such deaths were recorded in Panjab. NCRB data showed a nearly 6.7% increase in dowry-related suicide cases—rising from 1,587 in 2023 to 1,693 cases in 2024. Concurrently, a Ludhiana-based lawyer, Shivani Wadhwa, aspiring to become a judicial officer, died after a speeding car allegedly hit her scooter on 21 May. Shivani was the only earning member of the family. Ludhiana District Bar Association announced a ‘No Work Day’ as a token of respect to the deceased (earlier coverage).

Man quenching thirst in Amritsar Photo by Indian Express

Panjab Faces Heat Wave; Arora Under Scanner Over Sale of Phones to PSPCL

Panjab is facing an unrelenting heatwave. Surging electricity demand in Panjab has plunged several rural and suburban pockets of the state into prolonged power outages, exposing the mounting strain on the state’s power infrastructure and leaving residents grappling with sleepless nights, disrupted water supply and erratic voltage fluctuations. However, in 2026, under its curtailed power banking system, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) will not be able to supply power to Panjab and Haryana. In previous years HPSEBL stored around 1.8K million units (MU), but in 2026 it is planning to store only around 400 MU. HPSEBL’s quantum of electricity for banking arrangement has fallen substantially as the state government has taken away around 2K MU of equity power which it plans to sell in the open market. Meanwhile, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, Economic Offences Wing, Ludhiana, arrested KD Chaudhry, the former Chairman and Managing Director (2011–2015), Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) along with the Sub-Divisional Officer Sanjeev Prabhakar and Ludhiana-based builder Amit Garg on 20 May. They were arrested after a vigilance inquiry found that they had installed a 66 KV sub-station by using USD 1M of government funds in the private housing colony in Ludhiana. Additionally, new revelations regarding the purchase of 15,600 mobile phones by PSPCL in two tranches totaling USD 3.5M linked to Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) former Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) and former Panjab minister Arora, who is in judicial custody, are now being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The handsets were purchased for linemen, but several PSPCL employees' unions said they had never raised a demand for any mobile phones. Each phone was worth USD 229 when the market rate was USD 183. A senior PSPCL officer said, 'The differential cost of over USD 40 may be because the provider has to install a mobile device management system.’ On 23 May, Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal made an unannounced visit to the Bhondsi jail in Gurugram to meet Arora (earlier coverage).

ASI Joga Singh Photo by Indian Express

ASI Murdered & Kapurthala Jail Violence; Canada Busts Panjabi Extortion Gang

Panjab Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Joga Singh was found dead with a gunshot injury on Fatehgarh Churian–Majithia road in Amritsar on 24 May. ASI Joga Singh was posted in the traffic wing of the Amritsar Police Commissionerate and was on his way to duty when he was killed. An outfit called Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH) put out a poster the same evening claiming responsibility for the murder. The same outfit had claimed responsibility for the murder of two policemen in Adhian village, Gurdaspur district in February 2026. However, not taking the poster at face value, Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar (Rural), Suhail Mir Qasim said that police are investigating all aspects of the case. Meanwhile, on 23 May night inmates In Kapurthala jail vandalized barracks, damaged prison infrastructure and attempted to set parts of the jail on fire following a confrontation that spiraled. While two inmates received injuries during police cane charge, another was hit by a tear gas shell. The unrest was mainly confined to Block No. 4 of the prison. Some prisoners also climbed onto the jail rooftop before security personnel managed to bring the situation under control. The jail has 4K prisoners, including undertrials. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikramjit Singh Majithia alleged that gang wars, explosions, jail violence, and lawlessness were becoming frequent under the current administration. Former Panjab Deputy Chief Minister from Indian National Congress Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also criticized the government, stating that if even high-security jails were turning into battlegrounds, it raised serious concerns about public safety. Parallelly, Panjab police have arrested a resident of Chakk Dhariwal village, Pathankot district, Baljit Singh who installed a CCTV camera at a shop located near a bridge on the National Highway-44 to allegedly keep an eye on the movement of the army and paramilitary forces while transmitting the live feed to Pakistan-based handlers. Alongside, Canada's Peel Regional Police have arrested 17 men, mostly of Panjabi origin, busting an international criminal group targeting South Asian businesses in Canada and US. The FBI and multiple Canadian agencies were involved in the investigation that led to the dismantling of the network. The majority of these suspects have ties to a global criminal network known as For Brothers (earlier coverage).

Sanitation workers end strike Photo by Indian Express

Sanitation Workers End Strike; Panjab CM’s Stray Dog Theatrics Backfire

The sanitation workers in Panjab called off their strike on 21 May after the talks between sanitation workers union representatives and Panjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema ended positively in Chandigarh. Cheema assured the employees of addressing their pending demands, which included regularization of services, release of pending salaries, filling of vacant posts, and implementation of welfare measures for sanitation workers. Cheema assured that appropriate action would be taken in a time-bound manner. The strike had led to the accumulation of garbage in residential colonies and marketplaces in several Panjab towns and cities. Meanwhile, responding to the Supreme Court of India’s (SCI) 19 May verdict on allowing euthanasia of rabid and dangerous dogs to curb the threat to human lives, on 21 May Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said his government will launch a ‘massive campaign’ against stray and killer dogs which endanger the lives of people. Within minutes the post triggered a storm on the internet with #SavePunjabDogs and within an hour the hashtag became No. 1 trend globally. Animal lovers, activists, students and ordinary citizens not just flooded social media but also took to streets with protests erupting in many places. Maneka Gandhi, National Chairperson of People for Animals called CM Mann’s announcement a ‘wilful distortion’ of the SCI order. She said, ‘You cannot jump from Step 1 to Step 9 because it suits a political narrative. That is not governance. That is theatre.’ She pointed out that no dog can legally be euthanized unless three veterinarians certify in writing that it is rabid and that a healthy dog cannot be picked up and killed under any existing law. She said, ‘The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA) does not allow blanket killing of community animals. Period.’ Less than 24 hours after his incendiary tweet, CM Mann changed course. On May 22, he said the Panjab government would follow the SCI order ‘in letter and spirit,’ including humane care for animals, creation of dog shelters and euthanasia only as legally permitted under the PCA Act and Animal Birth Control Rules. With only one stray dog pound in the state in Ludhiana and no euthanasia policy for stray dogs in place, Panjab government tried to launch a massive drive against stray dogs that backfired (earlier coverage).

National Green Tribunal Photo by The Tribune

NGT Issues Notices to Govt Officials over Eco-Sensitive Shivalik Region

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the deputy commissioners of Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Rupnagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot to place on record the documents pertaining to demarcation of land delisted from the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). NGT passed the order on a petition challenging the Low Impact Green Habitats (LIGH) policy notified by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the delisted PLPA areas. In the petition, Jaskirat Singh, a representative of Public Action Committee, drew the attention of the tribunal towards a meeting held on 26 Apr 2010, under the chairmanship of the Panjab Chief Secretary in which it was decided that demarcation of delisted areas would be carried out using National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority funds. However, after 15 years no such demarcation was done and in its absence, hundreds of illegal buildings and permanent structures reportedly mushroomed in the ecologically sensitive Shivalik foothills and Kandi belt regions, violating the directions of the Supreme Court of India and the Punjab Eco-Tourism Policy 2018, which does not permit permanent constructions in delisted zones. The petitioners alleged that Shivam Sinha—son of Panjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha—also owned land in the same area, among other government officials. The applicants said that the LIGH policy permitted approval and regularization of construction activities on de-listed PLPA and forest-influenced land which was otherwise meant only for bona-fide agriculture and livelihood purposes. The NGT has issued notice to Principal Secretary (Housing and Urban Development) Vikas Garg and others in the matter. Additionally, two leopards were spotted at the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary during a wildlife survey. The leopards were captured on a camera trap in the reserve forest for the first time. Subsequently, the Gurdaspur police have arrested a major supplier of illegal pet parrots who targeted the town’s elite, selling ‘speaking parrots’ for USD 42 and ‘non-speaking’ ones for USD 31. Meanwhile, Punjab Pollution Control Board has appealed to the management committees of religious places in Fatehgarh Sahib district to not use single-use plastic bags for the distribution of karah prasad (traditional offering) and other items (earlier coverage).

Meher Malhotra & a shot from 'Shadows of a Sleepless Night' Photo by The Hindu

10.

Panjabi Short Film by an FTII Student Competes in Cannes

‘Parchaave Massiah Raatan De’ (Shadows of the Moonless Nights), a short film directed by Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) student Mehar Malhotra, has been selected for La Cinef competitive section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Malhotra’s 24-minute Panjabi language film competed in the segment alongside 14 live-action and five animated shorts by film school students from across the world. Malhotra’s film looks at both the systemic exhaustion produced by wage labor and urban living, and the psychological disorientation that comes from never fully being able to rest or switch off. The film follows a 26-year-old warehouse packer Rajan, who is stuck inside the loop of a night-shift job and a home where sleep is constantly interrupted during the day. The flickering factory lights, conveyor belts and endless boxes blur together the scene—as the repetitive work slowly wears him down. Dawn brings him back to his sister's cramped two-room flat, shared with her husband, daughter, and niece, where clinking vessels, dragged buckets, child chatter, and errands leave no space for rest again. Malhotra, originally from Ludhiana, says her own experience of battling sleeplessness triggered the idea for the film. Malhotra says, ‘I wanted to make ‘Shadows of the Moonless Nights’ because Rajan’s story felt like one we all carry but rarely name: the bone-deep fatigue of surviving a city that runs on sleeplessness.’ The film features actors Prayrak Mehta—from ‘Kohraa 2’ fame, Nikita Grover and Himanshu Kohli. The organizers said they received a total of 2,750 entries directed by 12 women and nine men from film schools around the world. The films in the category represent 15 countries. The only other Indian film at Cannes this year was the legendary Malayalam filmmaker John Abraham’s ‘Amma Ariyan’ (Report to Mother) from 1986. The film had its 4K restored version world-premiered at the festival and was the only Indian film in the Cannes Classic section. The 79^th Cannes Film Festival ran from 12–23 May, 2026. Some of the award recipients took a strong stand against Israel’s genocide on Palestine with renowned director Ken Loach and Academy award winner Javier Bardem making powerful speeches. Bardem said he thinks the tide is turning in terms of speaking up for Palestine in Hollywood, adding, ‘Everyone is beginning to realize…This is unacceptable.’

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Notes

Updates

IN: Delays, erased footage cloud probe into alleged custodial death of BSF Constable Jaswinder Singh (earlier coverage).
UK: Preet Gill appointed junior health minister, Kulwinder Johal becomes first turbaned Mayor.
US: Dr. Gunisha Kaur has been appointed to USCIRF by US Senator Schumer (earlier coverage).

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Panjab Civic Polls Through Ballot Paper Amid Sporadic Violence