Goa Khabar : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa State President Valmiki Naik, along with Senior Vice President Sandesh Teleikar-Dessai, General Secretary Adv. Surel Tilve and Vice President Sunil Singnapurkar visited the office of the Chief Electoral Officer and submitted a memorandum urging the Election Commission to immediately approach the Hon’ble Supreme Court and seek a stay on the High Court order cancelling the Ponda by-election.
The AAP leaders strongly objected to the cancellation of the Ponda by-election, which was scheduled to be held on 9 April 2026, stating that the decision, taken on the eve of polling, has caused widespread confusion, inconvenience, and disenfranchisement among voters, candidates, and political parties.
Addressing the media, AAP Goa State President Valmiki Naik stated that the entire electoral process had reached its final stage, with substantial public and private resources already expended. He asserted that BJP was threatened by an imminent defeat, as it was evident that AAP was to win the election by a huge margin, exposing the failure of both BJP and Congress in the Ponda constituency. He alleged that the cancellation of the election is a conspiracy by BJP to retain its power in Ponda. He pointed out that in other states like Punjab and Haryana, similar situations have occurred where elections were conducted even when less than a year remained in the term. He added that all legal procedures and the Model Code of Conduct had been fully implemented in Ponda, and yet the election was cancelled less than 24 hours before polling.
AAP Senior Vice President Sandesh Teleikar-Dessai stated that postal ballot voting had already been completed, and receiving a decision to cancel the election at this stage is deeply disappointing for the voters of Ponda. He said it appears that BJP was aware it would not succeed in the election, as the people of Ponda had recognised the failures and blunders of the party over the last 14 years. With this judgement, BJP had avoided the falling on it’s face in Ponda.
AAP General Secretary Adv. Surel Tilve stated that cancelling the election at such an advanced stage effectively curtails the democratic rights of citizens, particularly their right to vote. He further added that elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and any disruption, especially at the last moment, must be carefully weighed against the rights and expectations of the electorate. He warned that the current situation risks undermining public confidence in the electoral system and may discourage voter participation in the future.
In the memorandum, AAP has urged the Election Commission to immediately challenge the High Court’s order before the Hon’ble Supreme Court and seek an urgent stay, in order to protect the democratic rights of citizens and uphold the spirit of free and fair elections.
AAP leaders reiterated their faith in the Election Commission and expressed hope that timely intervention would ensure that the people of Ponda are not deprived of their democratic voice.
