E-Paper
SAD urges gurdwara elections panel to extend voters’ registration dates
Sukhbir said a large number of the electorate are from rural areas and are busy with harvesting paddy and preparing their fields to sow the wheat crop. He said this was also a period during which the Bandi Chhor Divas was observed.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday met gurdwara elections chief commissioner justice (retd) SS Saron and urged to extend the voters registration period for the upcoming Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) general house elections by three months.
The SAD president submitted a memorandum to him in this context and apprised justice (retd) Saron about the problems being faced by members of the Sikh community in registering their votes. The last date for registration is November 15.
Sukhbir said a large number of the electorate are from rural areas and are busy with harvesting paddy and preparing their fields to sow the wheat crop. He said this was also a period during which the Bandi Chhor Divas was observed.
“Subsequently during the second half of December the Sikh community observes the Shahidi Pandarwara to mark the sacrifices of the four Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh ji as well as Mata Gujri ji,” he said.
Badal said besides this the procedure for registration of voters was cumbersome and impractical. “As per the guidelines, prospective voters are required to submit a photocopy of their Aadhar card/voter identity with a form physically at a patwarkhana. It is difficult for more than 60 lakh prospective voters to go to patwarkhanas to submit their forms individually,” Sukhbir said.
Keeping these facts in view, the SAD president requested the chief commissioner that the condition for submission of photocopies of identity proofs be replaced with Aadhar numbers/ voter identity card numbers. “The condition for submission of photographs may be done away with altogether. Also, joint submission of forms may be allowed, Badal said adding that considering all these issues the time period for registration of votes should be extended by three months.
