Jalandhar bypoll: AAP threatening sarpanches to garner votes, says SAD’s plaint to ECI
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India asserting that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was threatening panchayati raj officials as well as sarpanches with dire consequences in case its candidate doesn’t register a lead in their respective areas.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India asserting that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was threatening panchayati raj officials as well as sarpanches with dire consequences in case its candidate doesn’t register a lead in their respective areas.
Senior SAD leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Pawan Kumar Tinu, at a press conference at Jalandhar press club, alleged that sarpanches of Adampur block were called to the block development officer’s office recently and threatened that cases would be opened against them and that they would face criminal action in case the AAP candidate doesn’t register a lead in their villages.
The SAD leaders alleged that concerned panchayati raj sub-division officer (SDO) and block development officers have also threatened the sarpanches after confiscating their mobile phones. “We are ready to produce the sarpanches, who were present at the meeting with the panchayati raj officer before the commission to substantiate the charges,” Bhunder said.
Meanwhile, SAD leader Pawan Tinu said threats were also being issued to chemist shops and sweet shops’ associations.
