Chandigarh, April 30
With just 10 days to go for the Lok Sabha elections , the Home Secretary of Punjab, Mr Sanjit Kumar Sinha, has proceeded on leave, sources in the State Government confirmed tonight.
Financial Commissioner P K Verma has been given the additional charge of the Home Department for the period during which Mr Sinha remains on ex-India leave.
Though the
reason for Mr Sinha going abroad at this stage when Lok Sabha elections are entering the final phase could not be ascertained immediately, sources reveal that the Election Commission had been flooded with complaints made by the Shiromani
Akali Dal and its alliance partner, Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing the Home Secretary of playing a partisan and active role in electioneering.
"We have not received until this evening any official communication from the Election Commission for transferring any senior officer in the civil administration. In such cases, official communication comes to the Chief Secretary," remarked a middle rung official.
When contacted Mr Verma confirmed that he had received orders to hold the additional charge of Home Department till May 9. The Punjab Government has already declared a public holiday on May 10, the day polling takes place for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.
A delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal is scheduled to meet the Chief Election Commissioner of India in New Delhi on May 5 about the "misuse of official machinery by the Congress government in the state." The Akalis are making both the Home Secretary, Mr S.K. Sinha, and the Media Adviser to the Chief Minister, Mr BIS Chahal, their target accusing them of trying to influence voters in favour of the ruling party of the state.
