Chandigarh, December 17, 2017: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the State Election Commission (SEC) had become party to the Congress conspiracy to defeat the voice of the people in the civic body elections and that the SAD would approach the high court and demand a CBI inquiry to uncover this sinister plot.
In a statement here, the SAD president said the party would also demand the immediate dismissal of State Election Commissioner Jagpal Singh Sandhu for becoming a Congress stooge and lowering the dignity of the high office held by him. “If he has any self respect he should resign immediately as he has betrayed the faith of the people who have high respect for the office of the Election Commissioner and don’t expect such partisan behavior from him”, Mr Badal added.
Giving details, the SAD president said from the very beginning the SEC had acted in a biased manner. “Akali delegations met him five times. He did not even give justice once. We protested against late receipt of voter lists and denial of no objection certificates to SAD-BJP candidates. He did not act on this complaint. The SEC failed to act even when officials refused to receive nomination papers of Akali candidates. He did not take any concrete action when Akali leaders were attacked and fired upon at Manawala in Ferozepur and false cases were registered against them. He also turned a blind eye to incidents of violence at Baghapurana and Ghanaur despite being given photographic and videographic proof of the same. Now today he has refused to act when the law and order machinery is being used by Congressmen to attack Akali-BJP workers and indulge in large scale rigging across the State, especially so in Patiala, the home town of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh. One person has been murdered in Ghagga. Several others have been injured. Even women and the media personnel have not been spared. What else does he need to act and ensure free and fair civic elections?” Mr Badal asked.
Stating that this was the first time in the history of the State that the SEC had become a party to encouraging goondaism by refusing to act on any complaint by the opposition, the SAD president said it was condemnable that the SEC allowed the police and civil administration to become a party to booth capturing and rigging of elections. “Mr Jagpal Sandhu has refused to take action against any civil or police official despite the fact that the SAD identified such black sheep and submitted their name to Mr Sandhu. In such circumstances it is clear that the people cannot expect any justice from him. We will petition the honourable high court that such a Commission, which is dancing to the tunes of the Congress government, is wound up in public interest”, he added.