A day after Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) candidate for zila parishad elections was allegedly murdered, the main opposition party in the State on Tuesday demanded scrapping of impending Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
The party alleged the ruling Congress party for unleashing a large scale violence, especially in the wake of “blatant murder” of AAP candidate from Gill Kalan parishad zone, and subsequent failure of police to arrest the accused.
AAP, in a complaint filed by the state unit co-president Dr Balbir Singh and the leader of opposition in Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema, also alleged “wrongful rejection of nomination papers” of its candidates, coupled with “open violation of code of conduct by the ruling party” and “failure of the State Election Commission” to take appropriate measures for conduct of free and fair elections.
“We request and demand that the impending elections to Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti be immediately cancelled or suspended and fresh schedule for these elections be announced after deployment of Central Forces, such as CRPF, so that a voter can participate in elections without any fear, bias or intimidation,” demanded the leaders. They submitted that in the absence of Central Forces and immediate preventive measures, free and fair elections are neither warranted nor plausible. The complaint referred to the “utter violence and blatant murders in Punjab” that led to boycott and cancellation of Punjab Assembly elections in 1991. “Ultimately the State DGP was changed at that time, Central Security forces were deployed and only then elections were held in 1992,” the complaint read while adding that Punjab was yet again staring at a similar political crisis.
AAP leaders in the complaint told the Commission that the recent murder of Harwinder Singh Hinda, AAP candidate from Gill Kalan Zila Parishad Zone, “belies the promises by your office as well the State Government that there will be free and fair Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections”.
Dr Balbir said that during his meeting with the Commissioner on September 7, he raised a number of incidents where the volunteers, candidates and office bearers of AAP were “harassed, intimidated and threatened”, and requested for immediate action on “deteriorating condition” of law and order in the State.
The demand for compulsory video recording of all the polling stations and booths, besides the deployment of CRPF for conduct of free and fair elections were made during the previous meeting. “However, till date no action has been taken in this regard. In fact, the murder of AAP candidate took place after the moving of representation which shows gross neglect of human rights,” he said.
Highlighting the problem of issuance of NOCs to AAP candidates, the AAP leaders alleged that there was clear reluctance on the part of the Panchayat Secretaries in issuing the requisite NOCs despite the fact that there was nothing due from the side of our candidates.
“Complaints are still being received by the undersigned informing that Form A has not been received as yet from the State Election Commission. The latest complaint of this nature has been received as latest as 12 noon today from Sri Mukstar Sahib, where the said Form A has not reached the office of ROs or AROs,” stated the complaint.
The party also maintained that the prevailing situation “creates a reasonable doubt regarding the impartiality of police forces in fulfilling their duty to provide a conducive environment on the polling day”.