SAD urges Punjab govt not to hold local bodies polls during martyrdom fortnight

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday urged the Punjab government not to hold civic body elections during the fortnight of martyrdom of the sons of the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh from December 15 to 31.

“The SAD urges the Punjab government and the state election commission not to fix local body elections during the annual historic occasion of martyrdom fortnight of four ‘Sahibzadas’ (sons of Guru Gobind Singh) and Mata Gujri ji (mother of Guru Gobind Singh) which falls between December 15 to 31,” SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said.

During the fortnight, millions of people visit all the religious places associated with this unparalleled history of sacrifices to pay their respects, he said.

Therefore, any election during this period would spoil the peaceful and holy atmosphere, and hurt the religious sentiments of the people, he said in a statement.

Cheema added he hoped that the government and the state election commission would keep sentiments of the people in mind while deciding days of the elections.

The elections to five municipal corporations—Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Phagwara—and 42 municipal councils and nagar panchayats will be held by December end.