In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has determined that election petitions should be decided based on the material already on record, without delaying proceedings for fresh evidence. This decision was made by a Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath in response to an appeal against a February 2025 order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The case involved the election for the sarpanch of gram panchayat Khalila Majra in Panipat, held in November 2022, where both candidates received 302 votes. The winning candidate was chosen through a draw of lots. The High Court had previously remanded the case for additional evidence, but the Supreme Court found this approach inappropriate, stating that the election petition should be resolved based on the existing evidence presented by the parties. The apex court's ruling aims to expedite the resolution of electoral disputes and prevent unnecessary delays in the judicial process.