Other States - Punjab   

Polling for Beas seat postponed

Staff Correspondent

EC decision due to reports of violence

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 polling is 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.

Through a statement issued here, the Election Commission was of the view that 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 instil 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 said that the decision of the Election Commission was a clear vindication of the fears of the Akali Dal that there was a grave threat to democracy under the present government led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. He demanded appointment of more independent election observers and augmented deployment of Central forces as Congress party was adopting multi-pronged tactics to intimidate Akali workers and scare away the neutral voters.

On January 29, one Akali worker, Dilbagh Singh, was reported to have succumbed to bullet injuries, when supporters of Akali candidate from Beas constituency, Manjinder Singh Kang, came at the receiving end during a clash with a group of supporters of the sitting Congress MLA, Jasbir Singh Dimpa, who is seeking re-election.

Following major protests, a case of murder was registered under section 302 of the IPC. While three gunmen provided to Mr. Dimpa were suspended and arrested, the police failed to take any action against the legislator, his brothers and some others, who were named in the FIR.

Regional print and electronic media reproduced "videographic evidence" provided by the Akali Dal to allege the involvement of the MLA and his relatives.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Polling for Beas seat postponed

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu