Chandigarh, May 21 -- The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that it can provide electronic voting machines (EVMs) from Rajasthan within 2-3 days for the May 26 elections of municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab. During hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ruchita Garg, an advocate and Mohali resident, challenging Punjab state election commission (SEC) decision to hold the elections by ballot paper instead of EVMs, the ECI came up with an affidavit blaming the SEC for the delay. The requisition for the EVMs had to be made six months prior to the election as the term was ending in April 2026. The first request came at the end of January 2026. On February 11, the said request was accepted and a letter was written to the SEC as well as managing director, Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL), Bengaluru, regarding allocating of the EVMs, the court was told by ECI counsel adding that on February 16 chief electoral officer (CEO), Punjab, sought supply from the BEL and the same was approved on February 28, asking the SEC to collect it. However, the SEC failed to take further steps. According to the ECI, the SEC again wrote to the Punjab CEO for the EVMs on March 25, and the same was forwarded by the CEO to BEL on March 27. On April 7, the BEL had responded asking for details of the trucks etc but the same were not properly followed up by the Punjab SEC, the ECI told the court adding that the delay, if any was on the part of the SEC. Appearing for the Punjab government, state's advocate general MS Bedi opposed the plea and said that election is to take place in the next 5-6 days and there is no occasion for the court to interfere at this hour. After hearing arguments, the bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry kept the matter for hearing tomorrow while asking the SEC counsel to clear their stand....