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Kanwaljit Singh files
papers amid traffic jam
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Dera Bassi, (Patiala) January 23
Thousands of supporters of Capt Kanwaljit Singh, a SAD-BJP candidate and the General Secretary of SAD, gathered at the Ramlila grounds in support of their leader who filed his nomination papers for the ensuing Assembly elections from the Banur constituency, here today.
Capt Kanwaljit Singh files his nomination papers from the Banur Assembly constituency in the office of the Returning Officer at Dera Bassi on Wednesday.
— Tribune photo Pankaj Sharma |
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Notice to Punjab on Kewal Singh’s bail plea
Bathinda, January 23
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Surjit Singh, today issued notice to the state for January 31 while hearing the application moved by Giani Kewal Singh, a former Jathedar of Takht Demdama Sahib, his son Baljinder Singh, and a close kin, Joginder
Kaur, for securing bail in a criminal case registered against them in connection with the dowry of his daughter-in-law, Sharnjit
Kaur, in 1997.
THE COST
FACTOR
Expenditure limit unrealistic
Chandigarh, January 23
The humdrum of huge processions at the time of filing of nomination papers and a fierce campaign launched by a number of experienced and influenced contestants perhaps indicates that the ceiling of Rs 6 lakh on election expenses for any Assembly constituency in Punjab is “stretchable by a few zeros.”
FACTORS AT PLAY
Not taming Ghaggar may prove costly to SAD
Patiala, January 23
“Tusi Congress chak do, asi Ghaggar chak dayange,” was the oft-repeated slogan of the Akalis during the run-up to the last Assembly elections. The slogan may well haunt them in the days to come with little work being done to canalise the Ghaggar or other seasonal rivulets which continue to inflict misery on the people of this district.
Original candidates refuse to step down
Amritsar, January 23
The Chairman of the State Election Committee and MP, Mr R.L. Bhatia, today confirmed that the official candidates were changed on the basis of secret surveys conducted by some senior journalists at the behest of the Congress high command even as both candidates — Ms Ratna and Mr Parminder Singh — have refused to withdraw their nomination papers, thereby putting the party high command in tight spot.
EC frowns at processions
Over 1300 in election fray
Chandigarh, January 23
Even as the process of filing of nomination papers by candidates — official, rebels and Independents — for the February 13 Punjab Assembly elections ended today, the state election office spent a busy day compiling a fact report on flouting of the code of conduct by contestants on
Tuesday.
Warrant not to affect campaign: Bhattal
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Moonak, January 23
Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Punjab Chief Minister, against whom a Bathinda court issued non-bailable warrant yesterday in a corruption case, today declined to comment on whether she would surrender to the court or apply for an anticipatory bail.
Ms Rajinder
Kaur Bhattal, former Punjab Chief Minister, filing her nomination
papers for the Lehra Assembly constituency as a Congress
candidate. — Tribune photo |
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RSS-BJP rift in Ludhiana
Ludhiana, January 23
The denial of ticket to RSS nominee from Ludhiana North seems to have led to a sharp division between the RSS and the BJP leadership in Ludhiana. A senior RSS leader and the Zonal Chief of Ludhiana and Sangrur districts, Chaudhary Sat Prakash, and the city president, Mr Mitter Sen said, that they had recommended the name of Mr Sunil Mehra for nomination from Ludhiana
North.
‘Badal promoted family interests’
Barnala, January 23
Addressing an election rally today near local Improvement Trust office in support of Mr Paramjit Singh Barnala, general secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) as well as Panthic Morcha nominee from Barnala Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi, convener Panthic Morcha, alleged that Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) chief had been for the past five years to promoting his family interests.
LAST DAY OF NOMINATIONS
Much fanfare and blatant code violations
SAS Nagar, January 23
The last day of the filing of nominations for the Punjab Assembly poll
witnessed much fanfare and large-scale violations of the code of
conduct here today. Candidates, who came to file their poll papers, arrived amid fanfare at the office of the Returning Officer, Kharar Assembly constituency,
cum-SDM, Mr Jai Pal Singh, in Phase I. It seemed the candidates were engaged in a show of strength.
Amlala, Badauna file papers
Dera Bassi, January 23
On the last day of filing of nominations, candidates of the Panthic Morcha and the Bahujan Samaj Party filed their candidatures from the Banur Assembly constituency here today.
8 Cong leaders withdraw resignations
Phagwara, January 23
Eight district and block Congress office-bearers, who had resigned from their posts in protest against the denial of party ticket to Mr Joginder Singh Mann, withdrew their resignations this evening following the allotment of the ticket to Mr Mann.
Sonia to address 5 rallies in Punjab
Sangrur, January 23
Capt Amarinder Singh, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), today stated that Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), would address five big Congress rallies in Punjab to give a boost to the election campaign of the Congress candidates.
Development plan for Kharar: Kang
SAS Nagar, January 23
A proper perspective for the development of the Kharar constituency has been worked out and it is based on experience gained while interacting at the grassroots level. Stating this here today, Mr Kiranbir Singh Kang, SAD candidate from the Kharar constituency for the coming Assembly poll, said he was committed to taking specific development initiatives.
Stress on saving petroleum products
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 23
With the increased consumption of petroleum products, it has become necessary to save these by creating public awareness, said Mr Vikas
Partap, Deputy Commissioner, while addressing a function held here today in connection with the oil conservation fortnight being celebrated by oil companies throughout the country.
Study circle’s drive for drug-free poll
Hoshiarpur, January 23
A movement for ‘Drug-free-elections’ in Punjab is slowly building up. A number of NGOs led by the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle have pledged to root out the menace of drugs in the Assembly elections. They have resolved to launch an aggressive awareness campaign in the state to prepare the electorate to reject alcohol and drugs.
HC takes up Afghan girl’s plea
Chandigarh, January 23
She migrated to Australia after the turmoil in Afghanistan. He left for the country of kangaroos from a village in Amritsar district for obtaining a degree in engineering. They met, fell in love, got married in October last year before flying back to India.
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Transfer row in Mandi Board
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 23
Some officials of the Punjab Mandi Board are allegedly working in an arbitrary manner under the garb of the model code of conduct imposed by the Election Commission.
Missing driver’s body found
Amritsar, January 23
The body of a local taxi driver, Rajiv Kumar, who was missing since January 12, was found in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) on January 20. The missing case was, however, registered on January 16.
Firing by man in Army gear causes scare
Fazilka, January 23
Firing in the air by an unidentified motorcycle borne man in an Army jawan’s uniform in Clock Tower bazaar here on Tuesday at 6 p.m. caused scare among shopkeepers and residents.
Rs 17-cr benami deals unearthed
Jalandhar, January 23
Naresh Kapoor, a resident of the city, has been booked for money laundering and benami transactions to the extent of Rs 17 crore.
Two booked for cheating Punsup
Mansa, January 23
The Bhikhi police has registered one more case against Raj Kumar, a resident of Bareta town in the district, and Vijay Kumar Singla, district president of the Shiv Sena, under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC and Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, on a complaint of Mr Mohammad Salim Javeri, District Manager, Punsup.
Harash, Ravneet win quiz competition
Bathinda, January 23
Harash Mittal and Ravneet Kaur, students of Police Public School, won a quiz competition on “Traffic rules and regulations” held on the school premises here yesterday.
Varsity non-teaching staff hold dharna
Amritsar, January 23
Activists of the non-teaching employees association of Guru Nanak Dev University held a dharna today against the non-implementation of their demands.
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