Bathinda: A day after ordering fresh elections for the block samiti office-bearers in Moga’s Baghapurana Moga, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday directed re-polling for the Rampura Phool block samiti in Bathinda. The election will be held on April 1 under the supervision of the Bathinda deputy commissioner. The court has appointed a lawyer as poll observer to oversee the process and submit a report thereafter.The election meeting to choose the chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Rampura Phool block samiti was held on March 18, during which members of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged that, despite being in the majority, they were prevented from participating. They accused the AAP of high-handedness.Of 18 members in Rampura Phool block samiti, Akali Dal had 10 members, Aam Aadmi Party had 5, Congress had 2, and 1 was independent. Rampura Phool sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Veerpal Kaur announced that the election could not be completed.The 10 members from Akali Dal filed a petition in Punjab and Haryana high court praying to order a fresh election. SAD spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler said that, going by the prayer, the court on Wednesday ordered a fresh election to be held on April 1 under the supervision of the DC and appointed an observer for the election, who has been asked to submit a report directly to the court after the electoral process is completed. It has been directed that no one other than an eligible voter be allowed near the election venue. SAD senior leader Sikandar Singh Maluka said they presented their 10 members before the media, but the ruling party abducted four of their members and asked three others to exit the election meeting at the block development and panchayat office, Phool. Rampura Phool MLA Balkar Singh refuted the allegations and said they did not stop anyone from taking part in the electoral process. Rampura Phool SDM Veerpal Kaur said the election process could not be completed on March 18 due to the law and order situation and it had been postponed. Earlier, on Tuesday, the high court ordered the election for office-bearers of Baghapurana block samiti to be held on March 28 under the supervision of DC Moga and overseen by an observer appointed by the court. MSID:: 129799584 413 |
