Overview
- The Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the Punjab government and the State Election Commission to send the contested recording to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Chandigarh for analysis.
- The court told the commission to issue directions for free and fair polling and had earlier set a two-day deadline for its report on the recording.
- The commission informed the court that SSP Varun Sharma is on leave through the poll period, with Sangrur SSP Sartaj Chahal holding additional charge in Patiala.
- Petitions by Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa and Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema allege opposition nominations were obstructed in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
- Police have denied the recording’s authenticity as AI-generated, a cyber case alleging manipulation has been registered, and DGP Gaurav Yadav assigned ADG SPS Parmar to conduct the inquiry.