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Mohali MC polls: Repolling ordered at two booths
Action comes following allegations of booth capturing; counting of votes for all wards postponed to Thursday
Punjab state election commission on Tuesday ordered repolling at two booths in ward number 10 of the Mohali municipal corporation, from where Amarjeet Singh Sidhu, brother of health and family welfare minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, is the Congress candidate.
Repolling will take place from 8am to 4pm on Wednesday. Resultantly, counting of votes polled in all 50 wards of the Mohali MC will now be held on Thursday. However, counting for seven municipal councils in the district will be held as scheduled on Wednesday.
Paramjeet Singh Kahlon, Azad group candidate from Ward No. 10, had lodged a complaint with the state election commission (SEC) against Amarjeet Singh, demanding repolling in the ward. In his complaint, he alleged that on Sunday, Congress workers captured booths in Phase 7 in connivance with police, who he claimed forcibly removed his polling agents from there.
Kahlon also moved the Punjab and Haryana high court, which has sought response on allegations by February 18.
Action on basis of SDM’s summary inquiry
An official spokesperson of the SEC said that the commission has received a report from the subdivisional magistrate-cum-returning officer through the deputy commissioner, in which irregularities have been pointed out during polling while suggesting repolling in booth numbers 32 and 33 of Ward No. 10.
Deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan confirmed that the summary inquiry conducted by the returning officer following Kahlon’s complaint on Monday has substantiated the allegations. “Since an error/ irregularity in procedure is likely to vitiate the poll committed at a polling station under Section 59 (c) of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994, so as mandated by the Act, the matter was brought to the notice of the SEC for further necessary action,” he said, adding that the sanctity and integrity of the poll process is paramount and should be above any suspicion or doubts.
A detailed inquiry has also been ordered to look into the irregularities committed at the two polling booths, he said, adding that on its basis, action as warranted under law will be taken against the guilty with intimation to the commission.
Reacting to the SEC’s decision, Balbir Singh Sidhu claimed the Congress will win with a record margin from the ward in question. Sidhu said, like all others wards, elections were held in a peaceful, free and fair manner in Ward No. 10. He alleged a candidate, upset over his apparent defeat, made false complaints to the SEC.
