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Chandigarh, Oct 13 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over misuse of government machinery by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the assembly by-elections, saying the government was using police officers to threaten leaders of opposition parties.
In the complaint filed with the Chief Electoral Officer, Akali Dal spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kaler said that police officers Jagjit Singh and Sukhbir Singh, who are close aides of AAP candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu, were deployed in Tarn Taran with the intention of influencing voters.
He said that these officers had earlier worked as police station in-charge in Tarn Taran when Sandhu was an MLA.
“His sudden transfer at this critical juncture and posting in the same area clearly indicates a motivated administrative decision aimed at influencing the election process,” he told the media.
Kler also detailed in his complaint that officials were intimidating sarpanches, local leaders and voters and forcing them to support the ruling party candidate.
“People are also being threatened with being implicated in false cases if they refuse to do so.”
He said that this conduct was not only unethical and biased, but also in direct violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and the Election Commission’s instructions regarding impartiality of government officials during elections.
The SAD leader demanded transfer of DSP Jagjit Singh and DSP Sukhbir Singh out of Tarn Taran district to ensure free and fair conduct of the by-election and also urged for an independent investigation into the allegations of intimidation and abuse of police authority.
He also urged that strict instructions should be issued to all administrative and police officers to maintain complete political neutrality during the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Taking aim at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he said that the Chief Minister was creating drama on a daily basis in government functions and deliberately ignoring his primary duty of working for the welfare of Punjabis.
Voting in Tarn Taran Assembly will be held on November 11 and counting of votes will take place on November 14.
–IANS
VG/PGH