SAD seeks deployment of paramilitary forces for Punjab bypolls

Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday urged the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Punjab to deploy paramilitary forces in the state for the October 21 assembly bypolls and ensure videography in all booths for free and fair elections.

Bypolls will be held for Dakha, Mukerian, Jalalabad and Phagwara assembly seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) made the requests in a memorandum submitted to CEO Karuna Raju. SAD leader and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said the party told the CEO that the Congress was creating an atmosphere of fear in the four assembly constituencies with an aim to influence the bypoll results.

The Congress had done the same thing during the elections to municipal and local bodies, he said. Cheema said paramilitary forces need to be deployed adequately to thwart such attempts. The SAD said videography should be done in all polling booths, both inside and outside, and number of election observers should be increased to ensure free and fair elections.

In a separate representation, the SAD demanded the immediate transfer Dakha Station House Officer (SHO) Prem Singh from Ludhiana district, alleging that he was appointed by the Congress to threaten the ruling party's political rivals. It claimed that the SHO, who was earlier posted in Dehlon, was closely associated with the Congress. The SAD alleged that Singh had also threatened Congress rivals as SHO Dehlon during local body elections.