Nawanshahr, May 23
The issue of rejection of nomination papers in Begumpur cluster and the incident of manhandling of the RO and ARO have taken a new turn here today.

The state election commission, acting on the report of the election observer and earlier communication of the additional electoral officer in connection with the complaint of rejection of nomination papers by returning officer Parkash Ram, has come to conclusion that the returning officer has acted in an extremely irresponsible manner and his conduct is prima facie mala fide and further non-production of files makes his conduct highly suspicious, consequently vitiating the purity and sanctity of election process in the Begumpur cluster.

State election commissioner A.K. Dubey, in an order, has put Parkash Ram under suspension and ordered the initiation of disciplinary action against him.

Besides, the election in 12 villages falling under Begumpur cluster has also been countermanded. The fresh election schedule would be communicated separately.

The affected RO, Parkash Ram, and ARO, Malkiat Singh, while addressing mediapersons here this evening, said “injustice” had been done to him (Parkash Ram). They were manhandled by political leaders and till now no action had been taken against them. They had been receiving threats even now, 
they rued.

When asked to comment on the allegations levelled against the RO that during inquiry he could not produce the files, Parkash Ram said when the incident of manhandling was reported to the SDM-cum-GA to DC, Upkar Singh, they were asked to bring the files related to the rejected cases. So, they did not take all files with them to the election observer. Moreover, during manhandling some files got scattered and in haste they forgot to take all files with them.

“He has all the files with him but the action against him has been taken only on the basis of the production of files on that day,” said Parkash Ram, adding that though he and his ARO had been receiving threats till now, even then action had been taken against him.

Narrating today’s incident, he said he and his ARO had again been threatened by a BJP leader, Sham Sunder Jadla, in the office of the deputy commissioner.

A written complaint against the BJP leader had also been lodged with the district electoral officer and copy of the same had been faxed to the state election commission.

Sham Sunder Jadla, when contacted on phone, denied the allegations as baseless.

Jalandhar, May 23
Two persons were killed and two injured in a head-on collision between a Canter and a mini-bus on the Malsian-Shahkot road here this evening.

The accident occurred at about 7 pm when a Haryana-bound Canter, loaded with muskmelon and coming from the Rupowal area, had a head-on collision with a local mini-bus coming from the opposite direction, police sources said.

While the drivers of both the vehicles received serious injuries, two occupant of the Canter died on the spot in the accident, the sources said, adding that the bodies were yet to be identified. Injured drivers were rushed to a nearby private hospital where their condition was stated to be serious, the sources said, adding that passengers of the mini-bus received minor injuries and they all were discharged after giving first aid, the sources said.

A case regarding the accident has been registered in the police station concerned and the bodies were sent to the civil hospital for a post-mortem examination. — PTI

Batala, May 23
The gram panchayat elections in Batala police district will be conducted on Monday from 8 am to 4 pm. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for thesmooth conduct of elections.

The police has divided the district into five blocks, Batala, Qadian, Fatehgarh Churian, Sri Hargobindpur and Dera Baba Nanak. Four polling stations of Dhariwal block and 21 of Kahnuwan block have also been included in the jurisdiction of Batala police district. One DSP has been made in charge of each block.

The district has a total of 594 panchayats, of which elections of 13 panchayats have been postponed and 246 panchayats have been elected unopposed. — OC

Nawanshahr, May 23
Though the process of elections to panchayati raj institutions in Punjab is in full swing, factionalism in the district Shiromani Akali Dal has started surfacing here.

Before the beginning of the process of the zila parishad and block samiti poll, former district SAD president Resham Singh Thiara, while accusing local SAD MLA Jatinder Singh Kariha of ignoring loyal party workers, had “released” his own list of candidates.

Now, after the declaration of election results, some elected zila parishad members and their supporters have started raising an accusing finger towards district SAD president Mohinder Singh Hussainpuri for allegedly working against party nominees. They have started demanding disciplinary action against Hussainpuri and that too by inserting advertisements in a Punjabi daily.

SAD workers Surinder Pal Singh and Tarlok Singh Behloor Kalan released an advertisement in a Punjabi daily to thank Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal for granting the party ticket to Davinder Pal Kaur, and Kariha, SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, SGPC member Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa and SAD workers for their support to ensure her victory from the Bairsian zone in the district.

The photographs of these leaders have been published in the advertisement. Ironically, besides expressing gratitude, the allegation of anti-party activities against Hussainpuri and demand for disciplinary action against him has also been raised.

Davinder Pal Kaur, when contacted on phone, endorsed the allegation. “Though Hussainpuri pretended to be campaigning in my favour, he internally tried to stab me in the back,” she alleged.

Bhaur, while expressing his ignorance about the matter, declined to comment. On the other hand, Khalsa, while stating that he was not aware of the publication of such an advertisement, endorsed the allegation.

Kariha said earlier such an advertisement had also been published from Mukandpur zone. “If party nominees and workers have been levelling such a serious allegation against the district party president, then there might be something wrong at the bottom,” he said.

He would listen to the grievances of the SAD workers to take stock of the situation so that the “collective aspirations and voice of party workers” could be communicated to the party high command.

Hussainpuri termed the allegations of anti-party activities as mischievous and baseless.