Summary:
CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has lodged a complaint against Bathinda deputy commissioner Parneet Bhardwaj with Punjab’s chief electoral officer (CEO) urging the Election Commission (EC) to transfer the officer to ensure free and fair elections.SAD accused the Bathinda DC of “working on behest of the incumbent Congress”. He said, “I have much more than stipulated period of six months and the complaint has been filed just to grab attention.” Brar also alleged that Bathinda DC was trying to influence the electorate by asking people to vote for the Congress.“This is against all norms and a situation has arisen whereby free and fair elections are not possible in Bathinda. The officer should be removed from his post immediately,” said Brar.When contacted, Bhardwaj refuted the charges and said he was discharging his duty in “completely impartial manner with utmost devotion and honesty”. In the complaint to the CEO, the opposition party has alleged that the Congress had posted Bhardwaj at the important post despite the fact that he was scheduled to retired in September this year.SAD president’s political secretary Charanjit Singh Brar said as per the EC directions any officer who was scheduled to retire in six months should not be appointed as returning officer..