CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today appealed to the State Election Commission to extend the nomination filing period at all places hit by violence as well at places where opposition candidates were not allowed to file nominations for the panchayat polls besides taking action against civil and police officials who failed to fulfill their responsibilities or even colluded with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers and legislators to throttle democracy.
A SAD delegation led by Dr Daljit Singh Cheema and Arshdeep Singh Kler registered a strong protest against the violence unleashed by AAP leaders against opposition candidates to State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhary and demanded a free and fair probe into the complete takeover of the panchayat elections by the Aam Aadmi Party. “Urgent steps are needed or else it will not be possible to conduct free and fair elections to the panchayats in Punjab”, the delegation asserted.
Asserting that civil and police officials had not only failed to do their job but had also openly colluded with AAP leaders, Dr Daljit Cheema said “we have appealed to the SEC to direct Returning Officers to allow all candidates time to file their nomination papers by extending the deadline. We have also appealed to the SEC to direct the police department to ensure all candidates are allowed to approach the respective BDPO offices”. Dr Cheema also called for transferring all civil and police officials who had failed in their duties to restore faith in the democratic process.
The SAD delegation also submitted videographic evidence to the SEC regarding the harassment and violence being faced by opposition candidates from goondas of AAP. It said in Moga goons supporting AAP had fired gun shots to scatter opposition candidates besides snatching nomination papers and tearing them. It said in Dharamkot and Kot Isa Khan in Moga the police had taken action against opposition workers even though they were at the receiving end of an attack by AAP goons.
The delegation also cited how candidates’ owing allegiance to AAP was taken into the BDPO office through the back door even as opposition candidates stood in lines before the office for hours but to no avail. It said similarly in Jalalabad dummy candidates were put in lines outside the BDPO office to thwart opposition candidates from filing their nomination papers before the close of nominations at 3 pm. It also cited how opposition candidates were not allowed to file their nomination papers in Mamdot while in Talwandi Bhai opposition candidates were attacked with stones and even their vehicles were damaged.
Talking to media persons after submitting a memorandum to the SEC. Dr Cheema said videographs of all the incidents had been submitted to the Commission and the SAD had demanded strict action including registration of cases against the guilty, including civil and police officers. He said the delegation had also demanded videography of the scrutiny process tomorrow besides appealing to the Election Commission to monitor the working of the Returning Officers to ensure they did not reject nomination papers of opposition candidates under pressure from AAP leaders.