Punjab Opposition Alleges Electoral Malpractices by AAP in Panchayat and Zila Parishad Polls

Opposition parties Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab on Sunday accused the ruling AAP of indulging in electoral malpractices during zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections and slammed the State Election Commission for “failing” to conduct polls in a fair manner.

Polling to elect members of 347 zones of 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones of 153 panchayat samitis was held on Sunday. A total of 1.36 crore voters were eligible to cast their ballot. Punjab Congress president Warring alleged that the ruling AAP indulged in “gross and blatant electoral malpractices” during the elections, saying it showed its lack of confidence. Warring, in a statement, said that reports from across the state said that the ruling party workers, allegedly supported by the police and administration, resorted to “booth capturing” at several places. “They have gone a step ahead of their mentors in the BJP who are known for ‘vote chori’,” he alleged.

The Ludhiana MP said the AAP picked up another leaf from the BJP’s “vote chori” book, that of not providing voter lists to the opposition parties.

The SAD too accused the AAP of stealing the elections “in league with the State Election Commission and the Punjab Police” and demanded a judicial probe into the functioning of the state election commissioner as well as its immediate removal. Senior leaders Daljit Singh Cheema and Arshdeep Singh Kler alleged that for the first time in the history of the state, a ruling party had “captured” polling booths by using arms and weapons, and attacked opposition workers and indulged in widespread rigging.