A fresh controversy has surfaced during the ongoing municipal corporation and municipal council elections across Punjab, with a High Court lawyer alleging a serious breach of ballot secrecy.

Advocate Ranjivan Singh, a voter from Ward No. 15, claimed that the voting process compromised the confidentiality of voters’ choices after he discovered that the serial number printed on his ballot paper matched the number recorded against his name on the counterfoil.

According to Singh, he immediately brought the matter to the notice of polling officials after noticing the discrepancy. He argued that if a ballot paper’s serial number could be linked to a voter’s record, it could potentially allow authorities to determine which candidate the voter had supported.

“If the ballot paper serial number is connected to a voter’s details through official records, it becomes possible to trace an individual’s vote. This defeats the very purpose of secret balloting and raises serious concerns about voter privacy,” Singh alleged.

Calling it a matter of larger public importance, Singh said the issue was not limited to a single ward or candidate, but could have implications across Punjab if the same procedure was being followed elsewhere.

“This is not merely a local issue. If such a system is being used throughout the state, it warrants immediate scrutiny by the Election Commission. The secrecy of the ballot is a fundamental pillar of democracy and cannot be compromised,” he said.

Seeking an urgent investigation, Singh urged the State Election Commission to examine the matter and verify whether similar ballot paper numbering practices were being adopted at polling stations across Punjab.

Responding to questions about possible legal action, Singh said the issue went beyond courtroom litigation. “This is not just about filing a case. It concerns the integrity of the electoral process and the confidence voters place in democratic institutions. The matter deserves immediate attention at the highest level,” he added.

The allegations have triggered a debate over ballot-handling procedures and voter confidentiality during the civic polls, though election authorities had not issued an official response at the time of filing this report.

Ward No. 10: Former deputy mayor Kuljeet Singh Bedi raises similar allegations

Similar allegations were also raised in Ward No. 10 by former deputy mayor Kuljeet Singh Bedi. Bedi claimed that when he arrived at the polling booth to cast his vote, he noticed the same procedure being followed and immediately objected to it before polling officials.

Speaking to the media, Bedi termed the practice a “serious irregularity” and alleged that it compromised the secrecy of voting. He said the process was completely unacceptable and raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the election. Bedi demanded that election authorities take immediate cognisance of the issue and clarify the procedure being followed at polling stations.

“This is a complete violation of the principle of secret voting. If a ballot paper can be linked to a voter through serial numbers, it raises serious questions about the credibility of the entire electoral process,” Bedi said while interacting with reporters.

Mohali DC-cum-District Election Offiver, Komal Mittal said, “Ballot papers were printed as per the protocol provided by *State Election Commission, Punjab.* The number on the counterfoil and ballot paper are the same but not connected to vo details. There is no question about not maintaining the secrecy which is maintained at all costs. The data is never revealed to anyone at any point of time. “

A senior officer of the government said on anonymity that the same pattern of ballot papers was used across the country wherever ballot boxes were used. “Even in our panchayat elections, similar ballot papers were used. There was no controversy. Otherwise, how would we keep a track of number of votes?”

State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhary was not available for comments. Secretary, SEC Rajdeep Kaur was also not available.