Shiromani Akali Dal on Friday asked Punjab State Election Commission (SEC) to reconsider its decision not to countermand elections at four places where Akali candidates were not allowed to file their nomination papers.
The party asked the State poll panel to instead take action against the officials responsible for “misconduct” as well as direct the State Government to take back false cases registered against the Akali leaders.
SAD said that the Commission’s decision to extend the date for filing nominations at one place, Manawala, was “too little and too late” and would not serve any purpose.
The assertions were made by the SAD delegation, including former Minister Daljit Cheema and party office secretary Charanjit Brar, who submitted a memorandum in this regard to the State Election Commissioner Jagdev Singh Sandhu asking him to take stern action against the officials who had discriminated against Akali workers.
The memorandum also asked the Commissioner to direct the police authorities to cancel all false cases registered against Akali workers and register appropriate cases against all Congress leaders and workers who had indulged in violence.
The memorandum stated that the SAD had made representations to the SEC earlier also pointing out specific instances of violence and tearing of nomination papers at Manawala, Makhu, Baghapurana and Ghanaur.
“Despite the fact that photographic evidence was submitted to the Commission including pictures of vandalised vehicles and bullets being fired at them, the SEC did not deem it fit to countermand the elections at these four places. This has shattered the faith of the common man in the entire election process,” said Cheema adding that the Congressmen would now be emboldened to resort to further goondaism.
Cheema said that the decision to extend the nomination process by one day at Manawala would not serve any purpose.
“There was an atmosphere of fear in the area with the police registering cases against 90 unidentified persons. Our candidates cannot come out and file their nominations in such a situation,” he said adding that the Congressmen had even jammed the area in front of the SDM’s office with their supporters to prevent Akali candidates from coming there to file their nominations.
The memorandum also pointed out the failure of the election observers who had sent biased reports to the Commission and had not reported the grave irregularities committed by Congressmen. It said that these observers should be proceeded against for dereliction of duty.