Parties voice fears, want EC to ensure free, fair poll

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 23

Various political parties during a meeting with the central team of the Election Commission (EC) voiced their apprehension of politicisation of the civil and police administration calling it the biggest challenge for a free and fair elections in the state.

The EC team was led by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi along with Election Commissioners Achal Kumar Jyoti and Om Prakash Rawat. The team, which is here on a three-day visit to review state’s preparedness for the Assembly elections due early next year, gave time to all national and regional parties.

Claiming total politicisation of the state’s administrative and law and order machinery, the state Congress urged the Election Commission to impose the code of conduct in the state.

A delegation of the PPCC led by its vice-president Dr Amar Singh demanded immediate imposition of the code of conduct claiming deteriorating political situation in the state. The delegation also sought swapping of administrative officials from the level of segment incharge to DCs, SSPs and SDMs to end the “misuse of the state machinery by the Akali leadership”.

They demanded an independent third party review and scrutiny of voter lists, which had been prepared and revised by Anganwadi workers and were replete with “bogus voter names”.

A delegation of the Aam Aadmi Party, which was led by party’s spokesperson Himmat Singh Shergill, expressed apprehension that the “ruling alliance could use money and muscle power in the elections”.

“We know the role played by the Punjab Police in the previous elections, so we have demanded the deployment of paramilitary forces,” Shergill said.

Left parties, including the CPI and the CPM, also echoed similar apprehension. “We have told the Election Commission that when the civil and police administration is highly politicised, one can’t expect free and fair elections,” said Hardev Arshi, state secretary, CPI.

Both the Left parties alleged that the Akali Dal’s system of governance was such that even SHOs were being appointed by local Akali leaders. “When such kind of micro-management is being done by the ruling alliance, we can very well imagine what kind of role they will play in the elections,” said Arshi.

The Shiromani Akali Dal delegation led by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa claimed that PPCC president Captain Amarinder Singh was threatening officials and recently entered police stations and tried to hamper their official work.

‘Tirath Yatra attempt to woo voters’

The opposition parties claimed that the government's recent decision to use 117 buses in all Assembly 

constituencies for the Tirath Yatra was an attempt to win over voters. They demanded its cancellation with the intervention of the Election Commission.

20,000 POs, absconders elude police

The parties showed recent news items that appeared in The Tribune stating that more than 20,000 proclaimed offenders and absconders continued to elude the police and how 57 gangs were active in the state. The parties alleged that the government had recently made parole easy for prisoners so that they could be used in the elections.