E-Paper
Punjab: EC grants spl DGP 3 more days to submit report on cops’ conduct
The special DGP, who was initially given 36 hours to review all police cases lodged and arrests made during the poll code period, had sought an extension to complete the task.
The Election Commission of India has granted special DGP, technical support services, Ram Singh time until November 13 to submit his report on cases registered during the period of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) imposed for the ongoing Tarn Taran assembly byelection.
The special DGP, who was initially given 36 hours to review all police cases lodged and arrests made during the poll code period, had sought an extension to complete the task. The commission accepted the request and allowed him till 5 pm on November 13 to submit the report, officials familiar with the development said.
Earlier, the commission had issued directions that all such cases and arrests be reviewed by a senior officer not below the rank of additional director general of police (ADGP), with the report to be submitted to the Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO) by November 10.
The Punjab CEO, in a letter to the Punjab DGP, conveyed the commission’s concern over police conduct during the bypoll process, pointing to “wrongful registration” of cases and arrests. The letter stated that a report submitted by the police observer to the ECI had highlighted “coordinated and concerted actions” by the state police, involving not just the Tarn Taran police but also the neighbouring districts like Amritsar, Batala, Moga, and other adjoining districts. This, it said, raised serious concern about the impartiality of law enforcement during the election period. The ECI’s direction came in the backdrop of the suspension of Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police Dr Ravjot Kaur Grewal.
