Husband takes ZP oath as ‘wife away’

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, January 12

A Youth Congress leader yesterday took oath as a member of the Zila Parishad from Gurusar in Gidderbaha (Muktsar) on behalf of his wife, who he said was away for some “urgent” work.

Parampal Singh Aulakh, whose wife Rajbinder Kaur had recently won the ZP poll, said: “My wife was out of town so I took the oath on her behalf. However, I am not the only one to do so. Narinder Kaoni’s brother and a close aide of Sarabjit Singh ‘Kaka Lakhewali’ also took oath on their behalf.”

When contacted, Sarabjit Singh said: “I was beaten up on election day. I could not attend the oath-taking as I am still admitted to a hospital. I had sought exemption.”

Kaoni, who had won from Kaoni zone, did not reply to the Tribune query. 

Deputy Commissioner MK Aravind Kumar said: “This is something serious and I will ask the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) to look into the issue.”

Similar incidents have taken place in the past too. Former MLA Inderjit Singh Zira, whose son Kulbir Singh Zira is currently an MLA, had inspected the ceremonial guard of honour at the Independence Day function at Ferozepur in 2017. An Inspector was then suspended for dereliction of duty.

In 2016, Harpreet Singh ‘Gola’ Sodhi, husband of Ripjit Kaur, a councillor from ward 19, and Ladi Batra, husband of Rupinder Batra, a councillor from ward 7, had attended a meeting of the Muktsar Municipal Council in place of their spouses.