Seeking postponement of panchayat poll for 3 weeks, Punjab Congress leaders meet State Election Commissioner

A day ahead of the panchayat elections, the Punjab Congress on Monday sought that the elections be postponed for three weeks for resolution of the largescale discrepancies and irregularities in the filing of nomination papers.

Also, seeking reopening of the nomination papers of the affected candidates, a delegation of senior Congress leaders led by the Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, former Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh, MP Amar Singh, former minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa, former MLAs Harpartap Ajnala and Madan Lal Jalalpur met State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Choudhari.

Later, Bajwa said given the widespread reports of clashes, administrative mishandling and a number of candidates being left out, the party had requested the Commission to postpone the election by at least three weeks.

Citing the violence and coercion reported from Tarn Taran, Moga, Ferozepur and Fazilka, he said many candidates faced administrative hurdles in filing their nomination papers and at many places, the papers were torn and snatched from the candidates. Obstacles in getting the NOC to file the nomination papers reflected systematic failures by the ruling AAP, he added.

Another senior leader Rana KP Singh said many of the Dalit and women candidates could not approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court to avail a legal recourse.

The party has sought security for the aspirants besides monitoring of the conduct of the elections and directions to the poll staff for a free and fair election.