Raja Warring, Manpreet issued notices for poll code violations

On the instructions of the Election Commission, the Returning Officer of Gidderbaha, Jaspal Singh, has issued notices to Punjab Congress president and MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and BJP candidate Manpreet Singh Badal for allegedly violating the model code of conduct. The leaders have been asked to send their replies within 24 hours of receiving the notices.

Raja Warring is accused of having gone to a mosque in the Gidderbaha constituency to seek votes for his wife and Congress candidate Amrita Warring, by inciting religious sentiments, which is a violation of the election code. In another notice, Warring has been accused of trying to lure voters with money. A video of the incident had gone viral on the social media.

Badal, on the other hand, has been issued a notice for allegedly trying to lure youth with jobs, while campaigning in Gidderbaha. A video that went viral captured Manpreet saying that he will ensure that youth, between the age of 18 and 23 years, are recruited in Railways, apart from the BSF, ITBP and CRPF. Later, Badal claimed that that he was giving advice to the youth.

So far, about 65 complaints of poll code violations had been received from the four Assembly constituencies going to bypolls, said Chief Electoral Officer C Sibin.