Accusing the SAD-BJP Government for making attempts to delay Talwandi Sabo Assembly bypoll, Punjab Congress on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to hold byelection along with the parliamentary elections in the State on April 30.
Asking the Commission to “immediately” issue the notification to hold byelection in Talwandi Sabo Assembly segment — that fell vacant on March 7, Punjab Congress has filed two separate complaints with the Commission — the State party president Partap Singh Bajwa and party spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The sitting Congress MlA from Talwandi Sabo, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu left the party to join the Akali Dal on March 6, and submitted his resignation from the Assembly. The resignation was accepted by the Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal on March 7, when the House was holding its Budget Session.
Taking note of the complaint, the Commission has sought “comments from the Vidhan Sabha secretary”.
“Sukhpal Khaira had approached the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) with a complaint in the afternoon and the CEO office has sought reply from Vidhan Sabha secretary by this evening,” Additional Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Raminder Singh said.
He stated that the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, in its previous reply, had indicated that notification could not be issued pending its legal examination. “CEO would await reply from secretary before forwarding it to Election Commission of India for further necessary action,” he added.
Khaira stated that while the seat was declared vacant through a notification, the information was withheld from the Commission and Punjab’s CEO saying that the matter had been sent to the office of the State Advocate General for legal opinion.
Bajwa, in another complaint, has alleged, “The poll panel should hold the byelection for the seat along with the lok Sabha polls to avoid unnecessary expenditure, mobilisation of security forces and public convenience... Akali-BJP alliance is not willing to hold byelection for the seat along with general parliamentary elections due to its narrow political interests.” “As per past practice also, bye-election to fill a vacancy in the Assembly is always held along with the general election to the Parliament….In present case also, it is both expedient and convenient to hold bye election to fill said vacancy along with general parliamentary election,” he added.