Amritsar Parliamentary constituency is virtually out of bounds for Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.
Restricting his movement, the Election Commission of India has made it clear that he will not visit any party of the constituency, including his home turf Majitha Assembly segment, after campaign period is over — bringing a major embarrassment to the ruling SAD-BJP combine.
Also the Youth Akali Dal chief, Majithia is the brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal, and brother of Bathinda MP and combine candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
In an apparent to keep tab on his movement, the Commission has also directed the complete videography of all his movements.
This is for the first time in the recallable past that such stringent orders have been issued by the Election Commission to curtail the movement of the political figurehead, and to tie him down till the conclusion of the polling process.
The orders read that ECI has restricted movement of Majitha MlA Bikram Singh Majithia “to his polling station area from where he is an elector after campaign period is over.”
“According to a communiqué received from the ECI, Majithia would not visit any other part of any Assembly segment of Amritsar Parliamentary constituency, including Majitha Assembly constituency. The Commission has also directed to keep his movements under surveillance and video-graphed with immediate effect,” said Punjab Chief Electoral officer VK Singh.
Bringing another setback for the ruling alliance, the Commission has also transferred out the Amritsar (Rural) district police chief Gurpreet Singh Gill.
“The ECI has directed that Gurpreet Singh Gill, SSP Amritsar (Rural), should be asked to report to Police Headquarters at Chandigarh and Balkar Singh, DIG Crime, Headquarters should supervise his work up to completion of poll on April 30,” said VK Singh.
Only two days ago, the Congress party had demanded transfer of SSP Gill “for working for the ruling party alliance candidate”.
Congress MlA and covering candidate for party’s official candidate Capt Amarinder Singh Rana Gurjit Singh, in a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner, said that they had proof that he was forcing his juniors to influence voters in the jurisdiction of the district.
The ruling combine has earlier also left red faced when the Election Commission took a strict action by ordering transfer of four senior cops of the Punjab Police along with three Deputy Commissioners just a day before the poll notification was to be issued.
Those transferred were ludhiana Commissioner of Police PS Gill, four district police chiefs — Mansa, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Moga, and three DCs — Sangrur, Patiala and Fazilka.
Also sensing transfer of Badals blue-eyed State police top cop Sumedh Singh Saini, the State Government also decided to sent him on long leave till the election process is over.