No . 72/SAD/2018
To
The Chief Election Commissioner of India,
Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road,
New Delhi.
Chief Elecctoral Officer, Punjab
SCO No. 29-30, Sector 17-E
Chandigarh
Sub: Gross violation of Model Code of Electoral Conduct by the Punjab Chief Minister
Dear Sir,
Regarding subject cited above,
We wish to draw your kind attention to the gross violations of the Model Code of Conduct for the Vidhan Sabha by-election at Shahkot by the Honourable Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh.
In this regard, we wish to submit as under.
· On May 7, 2018, Captain Amarinder Singh in his official capacity as the Honourable Chief Minister, Punjab, conducted a press conference on the Shahkot by-election on the premises of the official Punjab Bhawan, and that too with senior officers of the Punjab government in attendance.
· In the course of the same press conference in the official complex and in the presence of senior officers, the Honourable Chief Minister carried out a campaign against his own officer, the SHO of Mehatpur who is associated with the conduct of the Shahkot by-poll.
· In the same meeting, the honourable Chief Minister also spear-headed his vitriolic campaign against his political opponents in the Shahkot by-election, the SAD and the Aam Admi Party.
· It is pointed out that during the course of this official meeting with senior officers in full attendance, the Honourable Chief Minister carried out the political activity in connection with the Shahkot by election when he got political activists of other parties to join the Congress party . These political activists include Jasbir Singh Gill, Former President NRI Sabha Jalandhar and others.
· The Honourable Chief Minister presented the act of their joining the Congress party as a boost to the Congress party in the Shahkot by-election.
· The misuse of the official Punjab Bhawan Complex for carrying out the election campaign is a gross violation of the model code of electoral conduct.
· In the same official meeting, the Chief Minister also functioned as a spokesperson of the Congress party when he issued a clean chit to the Congress candidate Mr Hardev Singh Ladi Sherowalia while his own police has booked him for illegal mining activity.
· The Honourable Chief Minister also made public call details of opposition leaders in the context of the events unfolding in Shahkot.
· We would like to reiterate that the honourable Chief Minister did all this in the course of a senior level official meeting with senior officers of the Punjab government present there.
· In the context, we request as under:
a). That the entire sequence of events that happened in the Punjab Bhawan on May 7, 2018 be inquired into to see whether or not it constitutes a violation of the code of conduct for the Shahkot by-election.
b). In view of the fact that the Honoruable Chief minister is threatening his own officers with regard to the conduct of the Shahkot bye- election, the Election Commission should immediately deploy para- military forces to ensure free and fair poll.
c). The Election Commission should depute a senior observer to oversee the conduct of the by-election in Shahkot.
d). That the Election Commission should take into its own hands the inquiry of the sand mining case involving the Congress candidate from Shahkot in so far as this case affects the conduct of the said by- election.
e). The Election Commission should also order an inquiry into phone tapping of the political opponents of the Congress party in the context of the Shahkot by-election.
f). That Election Commission may take suitable steps to ensure that the local officers including the Mehatpur SHO are able to function in a manner so as to ensure a free and fair poll.
g). The Election Commission may also ensure the personal safety and security of the Mehatpur SHO.
h). The Honourable Chief minister Punjab may please be asked to stop intimidating his own officers deployed in the conduct of the Shahkot by-poll
i) The Election Commission should order deployment of paramilitary forces immediately to ensure free and faire election
With thanks and regards,
Senior Vice President & Spokesman
Shiromani Akali Dal
