Coop society elections rigged, says SAD

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 11

SAD leader and former minister Sikander Singh Maluka today staged a protest at the Maluka Cooperative Society office, alleging the Congress government of wrongdoing during filing of the nomination for the cooperative society elections in the district.

Maluka alleged that nominations had to be filed today at 9 am, but DSP Phul Jasbir Singh and Dyalpura police station SHO Amandeep Virk took away the Congress candidates’ papers and the poll staff, despite the protest by SAD workers.

Maluka said, “Fearing defeat, some poll officials took the nomination papers from the Congress candidates on Sunday evening and the poll staff reached the society office today at 7 am. The police were deployed in large number and the SHO did not allow SAD candidates to enter the office. However, to file the nomination papers, I reached the spot with papers.”

He said when he reached the office, the police had to allow entry to SAD candidates for filing of papers, but with the instructions of Congress leaders, the DSP and the SHO took away the poll staff from the spot. One official, who did not flee with them, took the nomination papers of SAD candidates later, he said.

SAD Rampura Phul halqa in charge Gurpreet Singh Maluka said they would not tolerate the wrongdoing of the Congress government and would file a complaint with all proofs to higher police officials, Cooperative Department officials and the Deputy Commissioner.

He also alleged that the SHO had misused his position, and if no action was taken against the erring officials on their complaint, they would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The DSP, refuting the allegations, said, “I was present at the spot. The poll staff fled in a private vehicle on their own as Sikander Singh Maluka was accompanied by a large number of SAD workers. However, the SHO went behind them, and there was no attempt by the police to move away the poll staff.”