CHANDIGARH: The Election Commission has postponed polling for the violence-prone Beas Assembly constituency of Punjab from February 13 to March 11 "as the State Government and the police authorities failed to provide an atmosphere conducive to the conduct of peaceful, free and fair election there."

For the 117-member House for which elections are due, Beas becomes the second constituency where polling has been postponed. Earlier, the Commission ordered the countermanding of the election for the Valtoha seat, after one the candidates died in a road accident.

The Election Commission felt the postponement of polling till March 11 would enable the law and order enforcement machinery in the State to create a peaceful atmosphere which may instill confidence in the minds of candidates to conduct their election campaign in a free and fair manner.

This would also provide a feeling of security in the minds of the electors to exercise their franchise without any obstruction, coercion, fear of violence or intimidation. Talking to The Hindu , Mr. Sukhbir Singh of the Akali Dal said that the EC decision was a clear vindication of fears that there was a grave threat to democracy under the present Government led by Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh.

He demanded the appointment of more independent election observers and the deployment of Central forces as the Congress was adopting multi-pronged tactics to "intimidate Akali workers and scare away the neutral voters."

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