M A I N   N E W S

10 more officials face action
Irregularities in Punjab electoral rolls
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 27
As a sequel to the action initiated against poll officials in Punjab for gross irregularities in the preparation of electoral rolls last week, the Election Commission today ordered the suspension/transfer of 10 officials in Amritsar and Kapurthala districts. The commission has given time till January 4, 2002, to the Punjab Government for compliance of its order.

The Election Commission, in a letter to Punjab Chief Secretary N.K. Arora, has directed to suspend Harcharan Singh, Subdivisional Magistrate-cum-Electoral Registration Officer, Bholath, and the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, Bholath Assembly constituency.

“Separately, they should be chargesheeted and proceeded against,” the commission order said.

Taking serious note of the irregularities, the commission directed transfer of Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Officer of Kapurthala Vivek Agarwal and the Naib Tehsildar of Bholath.

It directed that no election work should be assigned to Agarwal in the ensuing Punjab Assembly poll.

The Sub Divisional Magistrate-cum-Electoral Registration Officer, Tarn Taran G.P.S. Sahota, the Tehsildar-cum-Assistant Electoral Registration Officer of the Tarn Taran Assembly constituency, Jagpal Singh, the Reader to Tehsildar, Tarn Taran, the Executive Magistrate-cum-Electoral Registration Officer and the Naib Tehsildar-cum-Assistant Electoral Registration Officer Naushera Panuan Assembly constituency, should be suspended, the commission order said.

Last week, the commission had only ordered the transfer of the Tarn Taran SDM, but in its present order it has directed the suspension of the official and filing of a separate charge sheet against him.

The commission also came down heavily on the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer of Amritsar, Narinderjit Singh, and ordered his transfer and directed the state government that no election work should be assigned to him in the ensuing poll.

Briefing newspersons, Election Commission’s Principal Secretary A.N. Jha said, “These actions have been taken after further probe into the irregularities in electoral roll revision.”

Punjab Cong leaves it to Sonia
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 27
The Punjab Congress election committee today decided to leave the task of selecting candidates for the forthcoming Assembly poll to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

In a unanimous resolution passed after a two-hour meeting, the state election committee members resolved that the selection of the candidates for the forthcoming election to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha be left to the Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Giving reasons for the state election committee’s decision, PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh, said the members wanted that Congress should present a united face before people and avoid any bickering.

A delegation of the PCC would meet the President tomorrow to complain against the “misuse of official machinery” in Punjab and the “irregularities in the voters’ list.”

Meanwhile, the screening committee of the party, which will decide candidates for the assembly poll, will meet here on December 29. The names will be finally cleared by the Central Election Committee of the party which is headed by the Congress President.