Expressing serious apprehensions regarding large-scale violence, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday written to the Chief Election Commissioner of India requesting him not to consider holding the Assembly elections in State in more than a single phase.
“Spreading polling over two or three days, which the EC is reportedly mulling as per media reports, would be detrimental to free and fair elections in the State and suicidal for Punjab’s democratic polity,” he said.
Capt Amarinder said that the political atmosphere in Punjab has already been severely vitiated as a result of the goonda and mafia raj of the Badal Government,
which has unleashed a wave of terror and violence against the innocent people of the State.
“As the countdown to the polls begins, once the polling dates are announced, I seriously apprehend further aggravation of the situation,” he said, in his letter.
Pointing out that he had already raised the issue of possible violence during Punjab Assembly polls, Capt Amarinder pointed out that even EC had been expressing concern over “free run that armed gangs and the large number of proclaimed offenders in the State are enjoying under the Badal rule.”