New Delhi, April 22
The Election Commission today ordered the transfer of the Inspector-General of Police, Patiala, Mr Rajinder Singh, following complaints against him.
Deputy Election Commission A.N. Jha said “He has been
transferred from the post as he was not able to discharge his duty in a free and fair manner.”
The Commission has sought from the state government a panel of names who can be posted in Patiala.
The Shiromani Akali Dal had complained to the Election Commission, when the three-member poll panel visited Chandigarh earlier this month, that the IGP was acting in a partisan manner and was the key person of the Congress led Amarinder Singh government in the investigation of disproportionate
assets case against the Badals.
The commission had earlier transferred the SSP of Ropar and Ferozepore on a complaint by the SAD that they had violated the Model Code of Conduct.
In the neighbouring state of Haryana, the EC had ordered transfer of Director-General of Police M.S. Malik following a complaint by the BJP. Ms Krishna Malik, wife of the DGP, is contesting the Sonepat parliamentary seat on the Indian National Lok Dal ticket.
The central leaders of the BJP today met the Commission and complained that officials in Bhiwani and Hisar
were helping the ruling INLD candidates in violation of the poll code.
The BJP not only sought
action against the officials, but also deployment of more para-military forces in the state as it apprehended electoral
malpractices during polling.
Incidentally, the BJP and the INLD fought the last Lok Sabha poll as allies. The two severed ties after the local unit of the BJP expressed the view that it could reap electoral benefits on “feel good” factor by contesting alone.
The BJP also complained to the EC that the atmosphere in Hardwar was not conducive for a free and fair poll. Party’s General Secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the violence in the holy city had instilled a sense of fear among the residents and communal passions had been raised in the city.
Stating that a team of senior party
leaders — B.P. Singhal, Prakash Javdekar and Arti Mehra would be visiting the holy town to assess the ground situation, he urged the commission to take appropriate action for fair polling.
Deputy Election Commission Jha said the poll panel would soon send a team to Hardwar to assess the situation.
The BJP also complained about the advertisement given in Urdu dailies by the Samajwadi Party to “woo the Muslims votes in the name of Allah.”
Meanwhile, the commission has decided to recall two of its Observers sent to Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, following complaints from the district administration that their behaviour was not found proper.
Further, Special Observer to Rae Bareli A.K. Singh would begin assessing the ground situation from tomorrow. Congress President Sonia Gandhi is contesting the seat.
Her daughter Priyanka Vadra had complained to the commission that the Samajwadi Party candidate was intimidating Congress workers and had presented a list of polling stations where the party feared the SP could indulge in electoral malpractice.
