Chandigarh, May 14
Shiromani Akali Dal today accused the Aam Admi Party (AAP) led government of using No Objection Certificate (NOC) as a tool to deny candidates of opposition parties a chance to file nominations for municipal council elections and said that the party would stage a dharna against the State Election Commission (SEC) if it failed to perform its duty as per law.
Talking to media persons after leading a delegation of SAD leaders for a meeting with the SEC, SAD Chief Spokesman Arshdeep Singh Kler said it was shocking to note that Executive Officers (EOs) had been told to not to issue NOCs to opposition candidates. He said that the Majitha halqa incharge of AAP Talbir Singh Gill had openly issued orders to EO on social media in this context. He said it was shocking to note that the EO was asking Gill whether NOCs had to be issued to everyone ?
Kler said that like in the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections, AAP was trying to stop opposition party candidates from filing nominations on one pretext or the other. He said if the government was so afraid of contesting elections, it should nominate its candidates for local bodies instead of conducting elections.
Raising the issue of Patiala SSP Varun Sharma whose audio clip directing the police force to stop opposition workers from filing their nominations in the Block Samjti elections, Kler said the Punjab Government had filed an affidavit in the High Court that he would proceed on leave till elections were concluded but it was surprising to see that the officer was still functioning as the SSP of the district and SEC had not taken any action as per the directive of High Court to get the audio clip examined from rhe Chandigarh forensic lab.
Kler said the SAD would stage a dharna in front of State Election Commission office if it failed to do its duty as per law.
