Chandigarh [India], November 12 : Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) leader Manpreet Singh Ayali on Thursday accused the Central and Punjab governments of deliberately delaying the registration of his party.
He alleged that the state government had failed to respond to objections raised by the Home Department despite repeated reminders.
Speaking to ANI after meeting the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Punjab, Ayali said the party had sought clarification over the delay in its registration and was informed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had asked the CEO to address certain objections raised by the Home Department and submit a response.
"Today, we met the CEO of Punjab. We sought clarification on why our party, Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), has not yet been registered. She explained that the ECI had asked the CEO of Punjab to address certain objections raised by the Home Department and submit a response. We were informed that she had written to the Home Department, specifically to the Home Secretary, and subsequently sent several reminders. She also followed up in person, but the State Government has still not responded," Ayali said.
Alleging that both governments viewed the party as a political threat, Ayali said they would pursue the matter through protests and legal proceedings if required.
"It appears that both the Central Government and the State Government want to prevent our party from being registered because they perceive us as a significant political threat. We are prepared to fight this battle on every front to secure our party's registration. Whether it means travelling to Delhi and staging a sit-in protest (dharna), organising protests at district headquarters, taking the struggle to the streets or pursuing the matter in court, we will fight this battle by every possible means," he further said.
The dispute stems from Waris Punjab De's application seeking registration as a political party. The organisation submitted its application on January 22, 2025, which was acknowledged by the ECI on February 6, 2025.
Following scrutiny, the Commission issued a deficiency letter on September 10, 2025, pointing out defects and discrepancies in the application. The applicant was granted 30 days to rectify the deficiencies, but the ECI said the corrected documents were submitted only on January 16, 2026.
The verification process subsequently continued through the office of the CEO, Punjab. According to the ECI, the CEO submitted a positive verification report regarding the premises and other relevant aspects on April 27, 2026.
However, before a final decision could be taken on the registration application, a sensitive objection was received in July, prompting the Commission to seek a comprehensive background inquiry.
Earlier on Tuesday, the ECI told the Delhi High Court that a “grave and highly sensitive” objection raising concerns that could adversely affect the sovereignty and integrity of India continues to stand in the way of a final decision on the registration of the proposed political party, Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De).
In its latest additional counter affidavit filed before the High Court, the ECI said the report of a comprehensive background inquiry ordered from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab, is still awaited despite reminders.