The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Tuesday sought cancellation of zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls in Punjab over what it claimed were concerns over the "impartiality" of police in providing a conducive environment on the polling day.
AAP sent a missive to state election commissioner demanding impending elections to zila parishad and panchayat samiti be immediately cancelled and fresh schedule be announced after deployment of central forces so that voters can participate in elections without any fear, bias or intimidation.
Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and party co-president Balbir Singh said in the absence of central forces and immediate preventive measures, free and fair elections were not "plausible".
They accused the ruling Congress of unleashing "vendetta" against the opposition and "trying its best to stop AAP" from taking part in these elections.
"There is a reasonable doubt regarding the impartiality of police forces in fulfilling their duty to provide a conducive environment on polling day," they said.
They also alleged wrongful rejection of nomination papers of AAP candidates, "open violation of code of conduct" by the ruling party and "failure" of the state election commission to take appropriate measures for conduct of free and fair elections.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also alleged large scale rejections of the nomination papers of its candidates on "flimsy" grounds reducing the entire poll process to a farce.
"The rejection of the SAD nominees is so rampant at most places suggesting that the officials concerned had been given explicit directions not to entertain their candidature at any cost," said party spokesman and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema.
In a letter to the state election commission on Tuesday, Cheema urged the commission to order a probe for large scale rejections, countermand polls where the nomination papers were wrongly rejected or where administrative obstacles didn't permit aspirants to file their papers.
Besides, Cheema sought deterrent action against erring officials.
In all, papers of 249 aspirants were "wrongly" rejected by the officials and a detailed list has been supplied to the commission, he said.
Elections to zila parishads and panchayat samitis in Punjab are scheduled on September 19. The counting will take place on September 22.
A total 354 members of Zila Parishads and 2,900 members of Panchayat Samitis will be elected during the polling.
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