Tarn Taran DC shifted over poll-related complaints

The State Election Commission has issued orders to transfer Deputy Commissioner, Tarn Taran, Gulpreet Singh Aulakh after election-related complaints which were noticed by the residents of Chabal area who staged a demonstration on Friday.

Incidentally, Aulakh had assumed charge just three days back on September 25.

The district administration has confirmed that the orders of the State Election Commission to transfer Gulpreet Singh Aulakh have been received though the state government is yet to fill the vacant post.

One Sucha Singh of Khairdinke village, in a complaint to the State Election Commission, said that Khairdinke is a village with a majority of the population belonging to the General category. But despite this, the post of the village Sarpanch was reserved for the Scheduled Caste category in the previous election, the term of which expired in February, 2024. In the complaint, it was stated that under the set procedure, the post should be open for the General category this time. He said in the orders of the District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, the post of the Sarpanch was declared open for the General category on Friday but hours later, the status was changed, with the post being reserved for SC category again but the orders issued in this regard did not have the signature of the officer concerned.

Residents of different villages said that there were other lapses and the aspirants for contesting panchayat elections were not being given the NOC and receipt of ‘Chullha tax’.

Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, when contacted, said he was unaware of the development as he had not received any information about his shifting.