E-Paper
Tarn Taran byelection complaints: EC summons Punjab DGP on November 25
Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav has been called to brief the Election Commission to explain and present facts on the status of cases and arrests during the poll code period.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has summoned Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav on November 25 in connection with complaints received against the police conduct during the period of the model code of conduct (MCC) imposed for the November 11 Tarn Taran assembly byelection.
The DGP has been called to brief the commission on the status of cases and arrests made during the poll code, sources said. The ECI had directed the police to review all FIRs registered during the MCC period following complaints by the Shiromani Akali Dal. The police had submitted its report to the ECI regarding nine FIRs registered against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers, stating that the cases were registered in accordance with legal procedures. The review was conducted by Ram Singh, special director general, technical support services.
“The commission was apparently not satisfied with the report and has now called the police chief to explain and present the facts,” sources said.
Earlier, in a letter to the police chief, the Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO) had conveyed the commission’s concern about police conduct during the bypoll process, particularly the “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 raised serious concern about the impartiality of law enforcement during the election period, it said.
The ECI also directed 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 by November 10.
The ECI’s direction came in the backdrop of the suspension of Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police Dr Ravjot Kaur Grewal.
The poll panel later allowed three more days to the special DGP to complete the task following his request for an extension.
The SAD had alleged that the FIRs were registered to intimidate its workers. On Monday, the party filed another complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that “fake FIRs” were registered against the party workers and illegal arrests made during the campaigning for the bypoll. In a written complaint, party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that the AAP misused government machinery during the Tarn Taran bypoll.
The ruling AAP won the Tarn Taran assembly bypoll, with its candidate, Harmeet Singh Sandhu, defeating his nearest rival, Sukhwinder Kaur of the SAD, by 12,091 votes.
