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SAD chief Sukhbir Badal booked for poll code violation at Faridkot rally
According to Faridkot RO and police, the organisers were permitted to have 1,000 people in attendance, but nearly 6,000 turned up at the SAD rally in Faridkot City
The district police on Sunday registered an FIR against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, party’s Faridkot candidate Parambans Singh Romana and other supporters for allegedly violating the model code of conduct and prohibitory orders issued in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
The FIR was lodged a day after Sukhbir addressed a large gathering in support of Romana at Faridkot City on Saturday. The complaint was submitted by the Aam Aadmi Party, which alleged the SAD allowed more than the permitted number of people at the event.
Faridkot returning officer-cum-subdivisional magistrate Baljit Kaur directed police to register an FIR after election commission teams found that around 6,000 people were present at the event, against permissible 1,000, in violation of the poll code.
The Election Commission of India on January 31 extended its ban on political rallies and road shows in the five election-bound states, including Punjab, till February 11, as the country continues to grapple with the pandemic. The commission, however, granted some relaxations, including increase in the cap on attendees at physical public meetings of political parties to 1,000.
Faridkot senior superintendent of police Varun Sharma said the organisers of the SAD event were permitted to have 1,000 people in attendance, but more supporters turned up. “A case has been registered at the Faridkot City police station against SAD leaders and supporters,” he said.
