Land scam: EC relieves Gidderbaha poll officer

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 20

The Election Commission of India (EC) today decided to remove Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officer Anand Sagar Sharma as Returning Officer (RO) of the Gidderbaha Assembly segment.

The EC took the decision after a probe conducted by the Vigilance Bureau (VB) had last week booked the officer in the Hoshiarpur land scam, wherein compensation was allegedly awarded at inflated rates to influential local leaders while acquiring land for four-laning of NH 70.

The Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had also taken note of the scam.

The state government had ordered an inquiry in July last year, after which Sharma was shifted to Gidderbaha as SDM from Hoshiarpur.

The EC has conveyed its decision to the state government, while recommending that the Muktsar Additional Deputy Commissioner should be given the additional charge of Gidderbaha RO.

“The election process is not yet over as counting of votes is pending. The EC’s mandate is to appoint officers with a clean image as ROs. Now, since the officer has already been named in the probe conducted by the VB, the commission has decided to remove him as RO,” said an electoral officer.

Sharma, a 2012-batch PCS officer, is currently on leave.

During the state-level Republic Day function held in Bathinda last year, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had honoured Sharma with the state award for his work as Hoshiarpur SDM.

Sharma could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.