Filing of nominations ends, but charges by parties fly thick and fast in Zila Parishad, Block Samiti elections

As per the District election office, a total of 148 candidates have filed their nominations for Zila Parishad zones and 906 candidates have filed nominations for Block Samiti zones. Meanwhile, amid the ongoing allegations of misuse of police and civil administration machinery by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to stop candidates from filing their nominations for the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections, Congress leader from Rajasansi constituency, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, today accused the ruling party of orchestrating an attack on its sarpanch Surjit Singh from Pindi Saidan village.

Sarkaria complained that the attack on Surjit Singh was made in front of the police. "Earlier in the day, AAP leaders tore the nomination papers of the party candidate for Block Samiti. When he put his papers in order again and went to submit, he was attacked as a result of which he received a serious injury on his head."

Meanwhile, SAD MLA from Majitha, Ganieve Kaur, also alleged that their partymen were not allowed to file their nominations. Ganieve Kaur also led a protest at the SDM office in Majitha and alleged that their candidates were not allowed to enter the BDPO office. She accused the AAP government of murdering democracy. The SAD MLA also requested the Election Commission to take notice of the high-handedness of the ruling party.

"If the AAP wants its members to win the elections, then this drama of elections must not be enacted," he said.

Meanwhile, in a press release issued by the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Dalvinderjit Singh, it was stated that the State Election Commission has appointed Sandeep Hans as election observer for Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections.

However, the District Election Office failed to release a list of the number of candidates who have filed their nominations for contesting elections till the filing of this report. It being the last day for filing of nominations, the candidates were allowed to submit their papers till 3 pm.

The elections for 24 zones of Zila Parishad and 195 zones of 10 Block Samitis would be held on December 17. Till yesterday evening, the District Election Office had received a total of 25 nominations for Zila Parishads and 164 for Block Samitis.