Punjab Revenue Minister and Youth Akali Dal chief Bikram Majithia’s speech during the SAD-BJP combine rally at Majitha in favour of its Amritsar candidate Arun Jaitley has come under the scanner of the Election Commission.
The Commission has sought a report from the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer asking to “thoroughly examine the speech’s video footage”.
The report has been sought on the complaint filed by the Punjab Congress on Monday seeking registration of criminal case and immediate arrest of Majithia “for trying to incite violence against Congress candidate from Amritsar Capt Amarinder Singh and intimidation of Congress workers”.
The party, in its complaint addresses to the Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath—a copy of which was also sent to the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) VK Singh, brought into their notice Majithia’s “highly provocative” speech at a public rally in the presence of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the BJP’s candidate from Amritsar Jaitely at Majitha in Amritsar district on March 30.
The complaint alleged that Majithia tried to “provoke and incite” people to violence against Capt Amarinder, and “also used extreme intimidatory language against Congress cadres and workers by saying that ‘he will teach a lesson to Congress workers by twisting their necks, if they dare to support Capt Amarinder’”.
With all appreciation of ECI’s “strict action” of arresting Congress candidate from Saharanpur Imran Masood for his provocative utterances against Narendra Modi, the party urged the Commission “to summon and examine videographed record”.
CONG SEEKS SETTING UP OF MONITORING COMMITTEE TO SCREEN TV CONTENTS
Seeking setting up of a monitoring committee, Punjab Congress on Monday alleged that a private television channel reportedly owned by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal's family is telecasting “politically motivated” programmes to “influence” voters in favour of Akalis and BJP in the State.
The party, in a missive to the Election Commission of India (ECI), urged the poll panel to set up a monitoring committee to scrutinise the programmes aired by the private channel. The party demanded that the “Committee should be authorised to screen, scrutinise and monitor each programme including discussions, news etc, before allowing its relay on air for the people”.
Describing the “false propaganda” by the channel as “partisan, misleading and maliciously”, the party alleged that through its programmes, the channel is tarnishing the image of all political parties and opponents of the Badal family in the State. Taking note of the complaint, Punjab CEO said that the evidence provided along will be examined.
PUNJAB GOVT SEEKS ECI’S PERMISSION TO CONTINUE DISTRIBUTION OF RATION
Punjab Government has shot off a communiqué to the Election Commission seeking its permission to allow distribution of ration under its “ongoing” Atta-Dal scheme for six months.
The Government has sent a bundle of “legal letter” explaining that the scheme is a part of National Food Security Act, under which the government is bound by law to provide food to the beneficiaries. CEO said: “We have so far allowed to go ahead with the distribution of ration for a month only, that too on the old cards. We have sent the government’s representation to the ECI for consideration.”
NO POlITICAl CONFERENCE ON BAISAKHI
Election Commission has made it clear that no political conference would be organised on Baisakhi festival near or at religious places. “As per ECI’s orders on Holla-Mohalla, political conference, even outside the religious place, has been completely banned…still we would once again clarify the orders to avoid any confusion,” said VK Singh.
POlITICAl PARTIES GET TIME SlOTS ON DOORDARSHAN, AIR
As per ECI’s guidelines, seven political parties have been allotted time slots for Doordarshan Jalandhar, while six were given slots for the All India Radio Jalandhar for 2014 lok Sabha election in Punjab on April 30.
A draw of lots were conducted by VK Singh where representatives of all the political parties — Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Bahujan SamajParty (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI (Marxist), and the National Congress Party (NCP) — were present.
ECI has allotted a total 85-minute time for political parties on AIR, Jalandhar between April 21 to 26 — 45 minutes for SAD, 20 minutes for Congress, five minutes each to the for BJP, BSP, CPI, and CPI (M) — has been awarded between 8 pm to 8.15 pm. On Doordarshan Kendra, Jalandhar, SAD has been given time slots of 45 minutes, Congress 20 minutes, and five minutes each to BJP, BSP, CPI (M) between April 15 to 26.
CEO REVIEWS POll ARRANGEMENT VIA VIDEO-CONFERENCING
CEO held a video-conferencing with Deputy Commissioners to review the elections arrangements and directed them to ensure compliance of Model Code of Conduct in true spirit and manner.