SAD says its candidates facing problem in getting caste certificates to contest polls

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Wednesday claimed that its party candidates were facing problems in getting scheduled caste, backward caste and no-objection certificates for the upcoming zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls in Punjab.

The Akali Dal accused the ruling Congress government of denying the relevant certificates for filing nominations for the polls.

"The designated officers are denying SC/OBC, no-objection certificates (NOCs) and voters list to the aspiring candidates. This is being done on the directions of the ruling Congress leaders to deprive rivals of their constitutional right to enter poll fray," claimed SAD's senior vice president Daljit Singh Cheema in a release here.

The SAD urged the state election commission to direct all officials concerned to ensure that the grievances of the candidates were immediately addressed and a level playing field was created for all the candidates irrespective of their political affiliation.

In a letter to the commission, Cheema gave details of the difficulties being faced by party candidates at various places, including Sardulgarh (Mansa), Qadian( Batala) Giddarbaha (Muktsar) and Nawan Shahar (SBS Nagar), Dera Baba Nanak, Kalanour, Kahnuwan.

Elections to zila parishads and panchayat samitis in Punjab will be held on September 19. The counting of votes will take place on September 22.

A total of 354 members of zila parishad and 2,900 members of panchayat samitis will be elected during the polling.