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Panchayat Poll
Sr Cong, Akali leaders lock horns for post of sarpanch in F’kot village
Faridkot, June 26
Panchayat poll in Faridkot is giving indications of a new political trend this time! Two senior political leaders are in the fray for the chair of sarpanch in a village here. The duo had sought ticket for the Faridkot seat during the last Assembly elections.

228 polling booths declared super-sensitive in Muktsar dist
Muktsar, June 26
More than 75 per cent of the polling booths for the upcoming panchayat elections in Muktsar district have been declared sensitive and super sensitive. Elections to 270 panchayats in the district are scheduled for July 3.

Himalayan Tsunami
Revenue officers to donate 1-day salary
Muktsar, June 26
Members of the Punjab Revenue Officers’ Association have decided to give their one day's salary to the relief fund for the rescue operation in Uttarakhand.

EARLIER STORIES

	Villagers protest against rejection of nomination papers in Faridkot dist June 26, 2013
	Contestants fail to furnish details of their poll expenditure June 25, 2013
	Confusion over NRI quota seats leaves aspirants jittery June 24, 2013
	Pollution-hit Kanakwal to boycott panchayat poll June 22, 2013
	Sutlej washes away crop on 40 acre June 21, 2013
	209 govt schoolteachers sacked for absenteeism June 20, 2013
	Communal harmony on display at mausoleum in Fazilka village June 19, 2013
	Farmer kills wife, mother-in-law by pushing them in canal June 18, 2013

	Panchayat Poll Sr Cong, Akali leaders lock horns for post of sarpanch in F’kot village Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, June 26 Panchayat poll in Faridkot is giving indications of a new political trend this time! Two senior political leaders are in the fray for the chair of sarpanch in a village here. The duo had sought ticket for the Faridkot seat during the last Assembly elections. Last week, when a former SGPC member and chairman of the District Planning Board, Lakhbir Singh, jumped into the poll fray for the post of sarpanch in his native village Arianwala, it caught many by surprise. Interestingly, the Akali leader was one of the strong claimants for the SAD(B) ticket for Faridkot Assembly constituency in 2012 elections. Though he failed in getting the ticket but to pacify the senior leader, the SAD-BJP government appointed him as the chairman of the District Planning Board. Now, after the expiry of his one-year term of chairmanship, the Akali leader is contesting the election for the post of sarpanch. Significantly, a senior Congress leader, Harcharan Singh Sandhu, is pitted against Lakhbir Singh. Two years ago, Harcharan Singh was also a strong contender for the Congress ticket for Faridkot seat in the Assembly elections. As both these heavyweight and influential leaders have locked horn in Arianwala village for the post of sarpanch, people are looking forward to the elections here. With stakes high, these leaders are making every effort to win the election. Lakhbir Singh has asked the district police to register a criminal case against Sandhu as he allegedly had voter identity cards at two places -Faridkot town and Arianwala. Akalis are demanding cancellation of Sandhu's candidature for his name figures on the voters' list of two different places. On the other hand, Sandhu claimed he had already got his vote in Faridkot deleted. "The Akalis are raising hue and cry for no reason. For their imminent defeat in the election, Lakhbir Singh want to be elected as unopposed. That is why efforts are being made to get my nomination papers rejected," alleged Sandhu. Sources said to build pressure on the district administration and the police for cancellation of Harcharan Sandhu's nomination papers and registration of a criminal case against him, Akali leaders had even approached the office of the Chief Minister. But as a BJP Cabinet minister from the Majha area is also facing the allegations of dual vote - in Amritsar and Tarn Taran -the CM's office reportedly did not go ahead with recommending action against the Congress leader.
	228 polling booths declared super-sensitive in Muktsar dist Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, June 26 More than 75 per cent of the polling booths for the upcoming panchayat elections in Muktsar district have been declared sensitive and super sensitive. Elections to 270 panchayats in the district are scheduled for July 3. Out of 606 polling booths, 228 have been declared sensitive and the same number of polling booths have been declared super sensitive. In Muktsar block, a total of 186 polling booths have been made; in Gidderbaha, 159; in Malout, 131; and in Lambi, 130. As many as 4,47,832 people, including 2,11,888 women, will cast their votes in the district. The maximum number of panchayats fall in Muktsar block (98). There are 62 panchayats in Malout, 57 in Lambi and 54 in Gidderbaha block. As many as 2,047 wards have been made in the villages. To conduct the elections, 3,333 government officials have been assigned duties across the district, said an official in the ADC(D) office. Muktsar SSP Surjit Singh said, "To conduct the elections in a peaceful manner, a large number of policemen will be deployed. On the poll day, no outsider will be allowed to roam near the polling station." Rakesh Popli, Estate Officer, GLADA, has been appointed Election Observer for Muktsar.
	Himalayan Tsunami Revenue officers to donate 1-day salary Muktsar, June 26 Members of the Punjab Revenue Officers’ Association have decided to give their one day's salary to the relief fund for the rescue operation in Uttarakhand. Ravinder Bansal, an executive member of the association, said, “All Tehsildars and other revenue officers are giving their one day's salary for the rescue operation in Uttarakhand.” The Punjab State DC Office Employees Union too decided to donate their one day salary for the rescue operation. — TNS
	Abohar Sector win BSF Punjab Hockey Championship Our Correspondent Fazilka, June 26 The Abohar Sector has won the Inter-Sector Border Security Force (BSF) Punjab Hockey Championship held at the BSF headquarters here. Deputy Inspector General of BSF AK Sharma, who was the chief guest on the concluding ceremony, gave away prizes to the winners today. Hockey players of all the four sectors of Punjab - Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Abohar - participated in the two-day tournament. In the knockout round, the Amritsar team defeated the Gurdaspur team 3-0. The Abohar Sector beat the Ferozepur Sector by seven goals. In the final match between the Abohar and Amritsar Sectors, the former won the tournament by a margin of three goals as the scoreboard read 4-1. The Gurdarpur team bagged the third position. Ram Sewak, Commandant, 117 Battalion, and GL Meena, Commandant, 51 Battalion, were special guests at the concluding ceremony. DIG AK Sharma told the players to take keen interest in games along with their job.
	3 drug traffickers arrested, contraband seized Tribune News Service Muktsar, June 26 The district police today claimed to have arrested three inter-state narcotics smugglers and seized 25.5 kg of opium from their possession. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surjit Singh said, "Acting on a tip-off, a naka was laid by the CIA staff and the accused, who were in a Maruti car, were intercepted near Malout village on Tuesday. Though they denied carrying any illegal material, the CIA staff in-charge Sub-inspector Iqbal Singh smelt a rat and searched the vehicle. During the search, 25.5 kg of opium wrapped in two packets was found from the gas tank of the car. The tank was fixed with a sealant." Those arrested have been identified as Dyal Singh, his son Nirmal Singh and Udey Lal, all residents of Bundi district in Rajasthan. The SSP said during preliminary interrogation, it was found that the accused were old smugglers. Dyal Singh was arrested with 15 kg of opium in the area falling under Sadar Muktsar police station in 2002. "He even remained in jail for five and a half years after he was convicted for the crime. He was again arrested along with 13 kg of opium in 2009 from the area under the jurisdiction of Jaito police station in Faridkot district. He was released on parole and did not return to the jail," said the SSP. A case under various sections of the Narcotic, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the accused at Sadar Malout police station. The SSP appreciated the efforts of Sub-inspector Iqbal Singh for tightening the noose around drug traffickers.