In a significant and surprising decision, the High Court at Mumbai (Goa bench) on Wednesday cancelled the by-election scheduled for April 9 at Ponda. The court reasoned that the elected representative would not have sufficient time to serve in office, as the remaining tenure is less than a year. The by-election had been announced following the demise of Ravi Naik in October 2025, with the Election Commission declaring polls in March to fill the vacancy. However, the judgment”delivered barely 17 hours before polling”has raised serious concerns. Notably, 177 postal ballots had already been cast, rendering those votes futile. Opposition candidates have alleged that the ruling government may have influenced the decision to avoid electoral contest. The court reportedly relied on a previous judgment from the Nagpur bench of the Maharashtra High Court. Candidates have expressed frustration, as the timing leaves no scope to appeal or obtain a stay. Moreover, significant public funds, time, and effort have already been invested in the election process. This raises an important question: was the Election Commission unaware of the legal constraints when it announced the by-election?
