Congress has demanded the State Election Commissioner to postpone the Panchayat elections to be held on October 15 in Punjab for 3 weeks. On Monday, a delegation of Congress leaders met Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhary and submitted a letter. Congress leaders alleged that there was large-scale fraud in the elections.
Demand to postpone for 3 weeks
Senior Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa said that we are not demanding cancellation of elections. We have demanded to postpone the entire election process for three weeks. He has alleged that Aam Aadmi Party leaders have printed fake ballot papers.
Many things including videography of the election process have been raised. At the same time, Aam Aadmi Party MP Malvinder Singh Kang said that Congress wants to postpone the elections. Congress is afraid of its defeat. Aam Aadmi Party candidates are facing setbacks. At the same time, the state government is committed to conduct Panchayat elections in a fair manner. He said that the Sarpanch should be from the village and not from any party.
What did Congress write in the letter?
The Congress has written in the letter that the Panchayat elections are scheduled to be held on October 15, 2024. Violent incidents have been reported during the nomination filing process, especially on the last day. The letter states that many candidates have faced administrative hurdles in filing their nomination papers. Mismanagement in places like Nakodar Municipal Council has prevented candidates from filing their papers on time.
Elections in 13,241 Gram Panchayats
Elections are to be held for 13,241 Gram Panchayats across Punjab. However, incidents of violence and use of force have been reported from different districts. Especially in districts like Tarn Taran, Moga, Ferozepur and Fazilka.
When clashes broke out outside the local block development and panchayat office, the police had to fire in the air to disperse the crowd. A similar incident took place in Tarn Taran. In which 5 people were injured. According to reports from Moga, nomination papers were torn and snatched from the candidates.
These demands were written in the letter
- Postpone the panchayat elections for three weeks.
- Candidates who were unable to file their nomination papers due to violence, coercion or administrative lapses should be given a fresh opportunity to do so. This is important to restore confidence in the electoral process.
- The district administration and police departments should guarantee the safety of candidates.
- The voting list prepared for the May 2024 Lok Sabha elections should be used for the panchayat elections to ensure that all eligible voters are included and no one is unfairly disenfranchised.
- The Commission should ensure that election officers at all levels act impartially and provide proper administrative support for the smooth conduct of elections. The process should be transparent, and any deviations should be addressed immediately.