Pb govt, SEC get HC notice on plea seeking probe into 'illegal acts' during MC polls

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The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice to the Punjab government and the state election commission on a petition seeking judicial inquiry to "examine the illegal acts of public servants" during the recently held civic polls.

The division bench of the high court Justice A K Mittal and Amit Rawal fixed the next date of hearing on January 11 while acting on a petition filed by a Patiala-based resident.

"We have sought judicial inquiry into the incidents wherein how the democratic election process was subverted in Punjab during MC polls," said D S Sobti, counsel for the petitioner today.

The petitioner, Bhavish Gautam, also named four places -- Mallanwala, Makhu, Baghapurana and Khemkaran, where the opposition parties, including SAD, had claimed that their candidates were not allowed to file their nominations and not given NOC with the alleged complicity of public servants.

The petitioner also mentioned the incident of Mallanwala where the Akali Dal had claimed that their members were attacked allegedly by Congress workers.

The petition also named Congress MLA from Zira Kulbir Singh for allegedly leading Congress workers for attacking Akalis; and Punjab Police IG M S Chhina for allegedly misusing his official capacity to support Congress workers during the, Sobti said.

The petitioner also sought appointment of retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge as state election commissioner for "holding the local bodies and Panchayat elections" in Punjab.

The petitioner sought directions from the high court to the concerned officials to make policy for the online submission of nomination papers and video recording of nomination process of the civic polls in Punjab.

"Candidates of other political parties were not allowed to file their nominations and at some places, the nomination papers were rejected on frivolous grounds," the counsel said.