AAP candidate seeks repoll in Talwandi Sabo
Saturday, 23/08/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140823/punjab.htm#7
Bathinda : Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi today demanded that the Election Commission of India (ECI) should take serious note of the “gross misuse of government machinery by Akali leaders and supporters of the SAD candidate” during the polling yesterday.
He demanded that the matter be handed over to the CBI for a fair inquiry. “The ruling alliance had our phones tapped to track our movement. The byelection could have been held along with the Lok Sabha elections in April, but the SAD-BJP government wanted to use the intervening months to woo voters,” Jassi alleged.
He accused the police of doing nothing to stop “rampant” booth-capturing. He said after he was fired at by SAD supporters, he called up the SSP who reached there in 10 minutes. “If he was that close, why didn’t he come earlier? This shows the extent to which the police machinery was misused by the Akalis,” he alleged.
He said even after campaigning had ended, SAD leaders Rozy Barkandi, Tejinder Middukhera, Bunty Romana, Dayal Singh Kolianwali, Jagdeep Nakai and several SGPC members, all outsiders, were seen moving around freel in the constituency.
Addressing a press conference, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Baljinder Kaur today alleged that the ruling alliance had captured almost all booths in Talwandi Sabo during polling yesterday. She demanded a repoll in the entire constituency.
She said Akali leaders Sikander Singh Maluka, Dyal Singh Kolianwali and others were in the constituency in violation of the model code of conduct.
“On a tipoff, at 12 noon I went to a polling booth in Teona Pujarian village and found Akali sarpanch Sukhpal Singh threatening voters and compelling them to vote for the SAD. When I tried to stop him, he abused me and used vulgar language for me. I have filed a complaint with the police, the Deputy Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab. Paramilitary personnel deployed in the constituency did not take any action despite being told time and again that booths were being captured.”
Demanding action against SGPC member Kolianwali for allegedly attacking her and AAP workers on August 20, Baljinder Kaur said: “The police is trying to protect Kolianwali who is close to the Chief Minister. Instead of registering a case, they are pressuring us to strike a compromise. But I will not do so.”
CEO takes notice of Tribune photo
Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh has ruled out repolling in any booth in Talwandi Sabo despite allegations of rigging by Congress and AAP candidates. The CEO said he had reached this decision on the basis of reports received from the returning officer.
Taking note of a picture in The Tribune showing a man brandishing a revolver outside a polling booth, he has sought a report from the SSP, Bathinda. VK Singh claimed that the candidates and their polling agents were “satisfied” with the reports sent by the district returning officer.
But PPCC spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira claimed that Akali ministers, including SS Maluka, had “remote-controlled violence from the office at Takht Damdama Sahib.” He said SAD candidate Jeet Mohinder Singh had openly incited his supporters to beat up Congress activists.
