Chandigarh May 21:The State Election Commission, Punjab today ordered to shift DSP Bagha Purana and SHO Samalsar (Moga) immediately and postponed the general elections to eight Gram Panchayats in five districts, which were scheduled to be held on 26th May in the state. Besides two election officers has been removed.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the State Election Commission, Punjab said that the Commission has ordered the DIG Ferozpur to shift Joginder Singh DSP Bagha Purana and Gurpiar Singh SHO Samalsar to the stations where they could not interfere in the smooth conduct of elections. It was complained to the Electoral officers by the representatives of huge cluster of villages that Sh. Joginder Singh Deputy Superintendent of Police Baga Purana and Sh. Gurpiar Singh Station House Officer, Smalsar were blatantly acting in a partisan way. So much so, it has also been alleged that large scale violence was engineered by the above officials during the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections. The residents of the area in strength have made a grave apprehension of violence.
The Commission feels that the incumbency of these officials at their respective posts in the face of grave resentment of voters was not conducive to a free and fair conduct of elections in the areas under their jurisdiction. Accordingly, The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ferozepur Range and Senior Superintendent of Police, Moga has been directed to shift both to the places where they could not interfere in the smooth conduct of elections and compliance report be sent the Commission by 22.05.2008 positively.
He added that the polls to eight Gram Panchayats namely Gram Panchayat Bhattian and Gram Panchayat Mand Jodhwal both Block Machhiwara, district Ludhiana, Gram Panchayat Ranjitgarh district Gurdaspur, Gram Panchayat Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas district Amritsar, Gram Panchayat Village Karamgarh district Muktsar and Gram Panchayat Bilaspur, Gram Panchayat Burj Hamira and Gram Panchayat Deena Sahib in district Moga have been postponed and fresh election schedule would be communicated separately.
The Commission has directed the District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar to remove Shri Harpal Singh Returning Officer Baba Bakala who has acted in a wrongful and negligent manner and thus eroded the sanctity of election. It was alleged that he had rejected the nomination papers of Gram Panchayat Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas district Amritsar without any substantial reason.
He added that the Commission has also ordered the District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Moga to appoint new Returning Officer in block Nihal Singh Wala immediately and initiate disciplinary action for imposition of major penalty against the erring Returning Officer Block Nihal Singh Wala, who had committed the gross irregularity by rejecting the nomination papers of 12 candidates on frivolous ground that nomination papers were received after the prescribed time was over.
The Commission has also directed all the District Electoral Officers-cum-Deputy Commissioners, Additional District Electoral Officers-cum-Additional Deputy Commissioners (Dev.) in the State that counting for all Zila Parishad / Panchayat Samiti zones/ constituencies, where polls had been held but counting was postponed, would be carried out on 27.05.2008 at 11.00 AM. Further, counting for all zones/ constituencies of Zila Parishads/ Panchayat Samitis where elections were postponed, and scheduled to be held on 26.05.2008 would also be done on 27.05.2008 at 11.00 AM.