India, Dec. 8 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday asked the state election commission to expedite the inquiry into the audio clip released by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal last week of Patiala SSP Varun Sharma purportedly directing his subordinates to obstruct opposition candidates from filing their nomination papers for the December 14 zila parishad and block samiti elections.

Taking up the public interest litigations by Punjab leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa of the Congress and SAD leader Daljeet Singh Cheema, the court gave the commission time till Wednesday and deferred the hearing.

"Pull up your socks and hasten the inquiry," the bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry...