Punjab HC Orders Independent Forensic Test of Patiala SSP Election Audio Clip

The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Punjab State Election Commission to send an audio clip involving Patiala SSP Varun Sharma to an independent agency outside state control for forensic examination. The clip, shared by Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, allegedly shows Sharma instructing police to prevent opposition candidates from filing nominations during December's zila parishad elections. The court criticized the commission for previously sending the clip to a state-controlled lab and emphasized the need for a fair, impartial probe amid opposition demands for an independent investigation.