Chandigarh, Dec 6 The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday said nominations of party candidates for the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections were rejected on a massive scale across Punjab and demanded that the deadline for filing nominations, where there were complaints of highhandedness and discrimination, should be extended to allow for a free and fair poll.
Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema called for the nomination of independent observers for the polls, besides demanding action, including charge sheeting of police and civil officials who had vitiated the election atmosphere by acting as stooges of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. “The party will also submit the names of Returning Officers who have acted in a partisan manner and rejected forms of opposition leaders en masse, and appeal that they should not be put on duty in the general elections in 2027.”
Cheema also came down heavily on the State Election Commission. He said it was condemnable that at a time when democracy was being murdered in the state, the SEC had chosen to look away.
“This raises disturbing questions about the integrity of the State Election Commission as it has failed to supervise the elections in a fair and impartial manner and has also refused to take action against police officers, including Patiala SSP Varun Sharma, who specifically directed police officials to stop opposition candidates from reaching the offices of Returning Officers by resorting to illegal and unconstitutional means”.
Cheema also asked the State Election Commission to immediately direct all Returning Officers to take self-declarations on dues and not reject forms on flimsy grounds. He also said the Election Commission should direct Block Development Officers not to victimise candidates by rejecting nominations on the pretext of not being able to secure the no-due certificate, and follow a transparent method to secure it.
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