India, May 22 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday dismissed a clutch of public interest litigations (PILs) demanding polling for the May 26 municipal elections in the state by electronic voting machines (EVMs) instead of ballot papers, ruling that it was too late in the day to interfere.

Among the pleas was one by Mohali-based advocate Ruchita Garg, challenging the state election commission's (SEC) decision to use ballot papers for municipal corporations, municipal councils, and nagar panchayats.

A bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu observed that the election programme had progressed to an advanced stage where the last date for withdrawal of candidature was May 19 and only the polling remained. Declining interference, the benc...