The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has approached the State Election Commission (SEC) with a serious allegation, claiming that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is exerting undue influence on officials to disrupt the democratic process for the upcoming local body elections. The party has demanded mandatory videography of the entire electoral procedure to ensure fairness.
Allegations of Intimidation and Undue Influence
In a representation submitted on Wednesday, a delegation led by Punjab BJP general secretary Jagmohan Singh Raju accused several returning officers and police officials of "functioning under the undue influence of the ruling AAP in Punjab." The party highlighted specific instances of alleged interference aimed at preventing opposition candidates from filing their nomination papers.
The representation, also signed by Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma, cited past incidents during local body elections where state officials allegedly acted on the behest of the ruling party. It referred to a recent case where a BJP mandal president was reportedly called by a Station House Officer (SHO) and threatened with arrest if party candidates tried to file nominations. "Such conduct creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation and strikes at the very foundation of democratic principles," the BJP stated in its complaint.
Demand for Comprehensive Videography
To counter this alleged bias, the Punjab BJP has requested the SEC to issue strict instructions for the mandatory videography of every single stage of the zila parishad and block samiti elections. The party wants the entire process recorded, including:
- Filing of nomination papers
- Scrutiny of nominations
- Withdrawal of candidacy
- Polling day activities
- Counting of votes
- Declaration of results
The objective is to create a transparent record that ensures all candidates, regardless of political affiliation, can participate without hindrance.
Election Schedule and BJP's Candidate List
The party also raised a logistical concern regarding the election schedule. While elections for the Mohali zila parishad and panchayat samiti have been stayed as per a November 30 notification, polls for Dera Bassi, Kharar, and Majri block samitis are proceeding. The BJP has requested that all these elections be held together to avoid double administrative burden and expenditure.
On the electoral front, the Punjab BJP is contesting these grassroots polls on a large scale. On Wednesday, the party released a list of 245 candidates for the zila parishad elections out of a total of 357 zones. Punjab BJP vice-president Subhash Sharma announced that the list for remaining zones would be finalized by Thursday. He stated that district presidents have been authorized to finalize candidates for the block samiti elections, marking a significant expansion of the party's direct participation in these local polls.
