The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today filed a written complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner of India regarding brazen violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by the AAP government, its MLAs, and other leaders during the Jalandhar Parliamentary bypoll and implicating leaders of the Opposition party in fake cases.
The complaint was filed through its legal cell president Advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler in which, it was stated that there was a murder of democracy in broad daylight during the Jalandhar bypoll. The government machinery brazenly violated the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India as people were not allowed to exercise their right to vote freely and without fear.
Talking with reporters after giving copy of complaint to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab, Advocate Kler said that at some places, even the vote was cast before the person could even reach the booth. He said that from the day the election process started, the ruling Aam Admi Party (AAP) started threatening leaders and workers of Opposition parties. He alleged that the roles of the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, Jaspreet Singh, IAS, and Senior Superintendent of Police Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar are highly condemnable and against the very principles and that they completely failed to ensure fair election process by colluding with ruling Aam Aadmi Party.
He further said that the incidents of grave violation of Model code of conduct and misuse of the government machinery raise a serious question on the role of Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, C. Sibin, IAS, who himself is facing a vigilance inquiry in 700-crore Philips-Signify Plot Scam for transferring 25 acres of prime industrial plot in Mohali. Even after so many incidents of brazen violation of model code of Conduct, no strict action was taken by the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab. This clearly shows that the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab failed to discharge his duties under the pressure of the pending inquiry against him.
Advocate Kler said that the leaders and MLAs of AAP violated the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India and on the polling day, a large number of MLA were present in the Jalandhar Parliament Constituency which is contrary to the guidelines of the ECI.
He said that the number of AAP MLAs, including S. Dalbir Singh Tong, MLA Baba Bakala, S. Jasbir Singh Sandhu, MLA Amritsar East, Gurpreet Gogi, MLA Ludhiana West, Madan Lal Bagga, MLA Ludhiana North, S. Daljit Grewal, MLA Ludhiana East, S. Amolak Singh MLA, Jaito, Ajay Gupta and MLA Amritsar Central, were seen sitting on the booths along with their respective supporters and were alluring the voters and the proof in this respect has already been given to the ECI.
Kler alleged that the local administration of Jalandhar, including Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police, worked in a complete hostile manner by following the dictates of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in letter and spirit. He further said that shockingly, police registered a false case U/s 354, 323, 34, 506 IPC and Section 3 & 4 of SC and ST (Prevention of atrocities) ACT, 1989 on the workers of Shiromani Akali Dal.v