Tarn Taran bypoll: EC asks Punjab DGP to review FIRs registered during poll code period

Ahead of polling in Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll, the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer has written to the DGP, asking him to review the alleged wrongful registration of FIRs during the period of the Model Code of Conduct and take necessary action within 36 hours.

The direction came after the Election Commission suspended the district's Senior Superintendent of Police Ravjot Kaur Grewal on Saturday.

The action against the IPS officer came following a complaint by Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal who had accused Grewal of using the police to lodge false FIRs against his party leaders and workers to stop them from campaigning for the November 11 bypoll.

In a letter to the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) on Saturday, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) pointed out that the EC suspended Grewal after taking cognisance of the serious lapses in impartial conduct during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) period.

"The report submitted by the police observer to the Election Commission of India (ECI) also highlighted that there had been coordinated and concerted actions by the state police, involving not just Tarn Taran police but also those from the neighbouring districts like Amritsar, Batala, Moga and other adjoining districts, raising serious concerns about impartiality of law enforcement during the election period," said the letter.

The Punjab CEO said he was directed by ECI to convey to the DGP for a review of all alleged wrongful registration of cases and arrests during the MCC by a senior officer not below the rank of additional DGP and take necessary action as per law within 36 hours.

"The compliance report in the form of action taken in the above direction may be sent to the undersigned for submission to ECI," the letter said.

Meanwhile, Badal hailed the decision of the ECI to get the FIRs reviewed.

The SAD president in his letter to the Punjab CEO last month had alleged that the local police in Tarn Taran were being "misused" for the political gains of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.

He had alleged that as AAP has realised that it cannot win the by-election "fairly", it has made the SSP its "de facto" in-charge in Tarn Taran.

"The SSP is registering false cases against Akali sarpanches and workers in order to intimidate them and prevent them from participating in poll activities," Badal had alleged.

Polling for the Tarn Taran bypoll will be held on November 11 from 7 am to 6 pm, and the results will be announced on November 14.

The Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June.