Organised rigging in Punjab municipal polls, alleges plea in HC

Picture for representational purpose

A plea filed by a lawyer in the Punjab and Haryana High Court Tuesday sought a judicial or independent inquiry into the alleged “organised rigging” in the recent municipal elections in Punjab while claiming that the nomination papers of several opposition leaders were rejected and the Congress candidates got elected unopposed on the seats.

The division bench of Justices Ajay Kumar Mittal and Amit Rawal Wednesday ordered the application to be listed along with the recent PIL which had sought judicial intervention in view of the demonstrations from various political parties in Ferozepur and its neighbouring districts.

The fresh application in the matter has been filed days just days after the Shiromani Akali Dal counsels alleged in the High Court that a number of cases were registered against their workers during the polls and many of their candidates were prevented from filing the nomination papers.

Alleging that Inspector General of Police, Bathinda, Mukhwinder Singh Chhina, also “misused his official capacity” to support the activities of ruling party, the plea, filed by advocate Bhavish Gautam, said the officials concerned turned a blind eye towards the incidents of violence against opposition workers and candidates.

Stating that the Akalis had declared 15 candidates for different wards of the Baghapurana municipal polls, the applicant said neither any candidate from the Akali Dal nor any from any Aam Aadmi Party were allowed to file the nomination papers.

The case will come up for hearing on January 11.