IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA, CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.1286 of 2009 Date of Decision: March 31, 2009 Adarsh Bala .....PETITIONER(S) VERSUS State of Punjab & Others .....RESPONDENT(S) . . . CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AJAI LAMBA PRESENT: - Mr. Arun Takhi, Advocate, for the petitioner. . . . AJAI LAMBA, J (Oral) Learned counsel contends that respondent No.6 contested the election and has been declared elected as Municipal Councillor from Ward No.2 of Urmur Tanda, Tehsil Dasuya, District Hoshiarpur. Respondent No.6, however, was a defaulter of the Municipal Committee, Tanda and therefore, could not have even contested the election. The petitioner, who got 5 votes less than respondent No.6, preferred an election petition in challenge to the election, on 14.7.2008. The proceedings in the election petition, however, are so slow that the matter is still at the stage of evidence of the petitioner. The prayer made in the CWP No.1286 of 2009 [2] writ petition, in the facts and circumstances of the case, is that the election petition be decided within a time-bound period. I have considered the contentions of learned counsel for the petitioner. The matter can be disposed of without issuing notice to the respondents. The law itself requires that the election petition be dealt with and disposed of as early as possible, preferably within six months. In view of the delay already caused, the Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur (respondent No.3) is directed to decide the election petition (Adarsh Bala vs. Subhash Chander Sondhi & Others) at an early date and in any case, not beyond the period of six months from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order. (AJAI LAMBA) March 31, 2009 JUDGE avin