ELECTIONS TO 18 PANCHAYATS POSTPONED –
5 ROs REMOVED
Chandigarh May 23, 2008
The State Election Commission, Punjab today postponed the general
elections to eighteen Gram Panchayats in six districts, which
were scheduled to be held on 26th May in the state. Besides this,
five election officers have been removed.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the State Election
Commission, Punjab said that exercising the powers vested with
the State Election Commission under Article 243K and 243N of the
Constitution of India, the polls to eighteen Gram Panchayats namely
Gram Panchayat Karimpur, Gram Panchayat Pallian Kalan, Gram Panchayat
Saloh, Gram Panchayat Pallian Khurd, Gram Panchayat Kot Ranjha,
Gram Panchayat Ram Rai Pur, Gram Panchayat Bairsian, Gram Panchayat
Gorakhpur, Gram Panchayat Chhokran, Gram Panchayat Punnu Majara,
Gram Panchayat Gohlron and Gram Panchayat Begumpur all in district
Nawan Shahr, Gram Panchayat Harlalpura in district SAS Nagar,
Gram Panchayat Mangewal and Gram Panchayat Slempur Dhaha both
in district Ludhiana, Gram Panchayat Lahiri Gujran in district
Gurdaspur, Gram Panchayat Rampura in district Ferozpur and Gram
Panchayat Jamsher Khas in district Jalandhar have been postponed
by the Commission and fresh election schedule would be communicated
separately.
He added that considering the report of the Observer, the Commission
has come to the conclusion that Returning Officer Mr. Parkash
Ram SDO, PSEB Banga had acted in an extremely irresponsible manner
and his conduct was prime facie malafide and further non production
of files makes his conduct highly suspicious. Therefore, purity
and sanctity of election process has been vitiated and the election
to 12 villages of district Nawan Shahr has been countermanded.
The Returning Officer has been placed under suspension immediately
and disciplinary action for imposition of major penalty would
be initiated against him.
The Commission on the recommendations of the District Electoral
Officer, Gurdaspur has suspended the Returning Officer Zone No.2
Block Pathankot Shri Rattan Anmol, Assistant Food and Supply Officer,
Pathankot and disciplinary action for imposition of major punishment
would be initiated against him. His conduct has derailed electoral
process to Gram Panchayat Lahri Gujran and vitiated the election
proceedings.
The Commission while considering the report of the District Electoral
Officer, Ludhiana, found that the election process has been vitiated
by the questionable conduct of the Returning Officer Mr. Jeet
Singh, Secretary, Market Committee, Doraha and the Assistant Returning
Officer Mr. Ramandeep Singh Agriculture Development Officer Madinpur.
Accordingly the election to Gram Panchayat Mangewal Tehsil Payal
District Ludhiana has been countermanded. The Commission has directed
to the District Electoral Officer Ludhiana to initiate Disciplinary
action against both the Returning Officers.
In another case the Commission has found that election process
has been vitiated as per the report of the Additional District
Electoral Officer Ferozpur and the poll to Gram Panchayat Rampura
in district Ferozpur has been countermanded. The Commission has
directed to the District Electoral Officer Ferozpur to initiate
Disciplinary action against the concerned Returning Officer.
BATHINDA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION ELECTIONS
BY 23RD JUNE
Chandigarh May 23, 2008
Shikha
In exercise of the power vested by sub-section (1) of Section
7-A of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, the Governor
of Punjab is pleased to direct that the general election to elect
Councilors of Municipal Corporation, Bathinda and bye-election
to elect one councilor from ward No. 41 of Municipal Corporation,
Jalandhar shall be held on any single day by the 23rd day of June,
2008.
This was disclosed here today by a spokesman of Punjab Government.
BADAL LAUNCHES WATER SUPPLY, SEWERAGE
AND SEWERAGE TREATMENT PLANT PROJECTS WORTH RS.206.86 CRORE FOR
BATHINDA AND MANSA
CHANDIGARH MAY 23, 2008
In a significant move aimed at providing safe drinking water
and sewerage facilities to the people in the Malwa belt, Punjab
Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today unveiled an ambitious
plan envisaging an investment of Rs.206.86 crore related to Water
Supply, Sewerage and Sewerage Treatment Plant projects in thirteen
Municipal Councils of Bathinda and Mansa in a phased manner.
Addressing a public function on the occasion Mr. Badal said that
under the first phase, the foundation stones of these projects
had been laid at five municipal councils of Bathinda district
namely Kotfatta (Rs.5.32 crore), Bhucho (Rs.7.09 crore), Maur
(Rs.24.01 crore), Rampura Phul (Rs.24 crore) & Bathinda (Rs.29.40
crore) and two municipal councils Bhikhi (Rs.17.96 crore) and
Budhlada (Rs.17.10 crore)in Mansa district and in the next phase
Sardulgarh (Rs.18.03 crore), Bareta (Rs.7.10 crore) and Mansa
(Rs.29.05 crore) town in Mansa district and Sangat (Rs.4.98 crore),
Goniana (Rs.7.81 crore) and Raman (Rs.14..99 crore) in Bathinda
district would be covered tomorrow.
The Chief Minister said that the Punjab Government required Rs.2784
crore for providing safe drinking water (Rs.638 crore), sewerage
(Rs.756 crore) and sewerage treatment plants (Rs.1390 crore) for
100 percent coverage of its population for these schemes. He said
that efforts were afoot to tie up with Centre, World Bank, NABARD
and other premier landing agencies to seek these funds to accomplish
this gigantic task.
Mr. Badal said that it was really a pathetic situation that we
had not been able to provide basic amenities to our people even
after 60 years of independence. Reiterating the firm resolves
of SAD-BJP alliance, Mr. Badal said that the Punjab Government
was fully committed to provide these basic amenities to its people
through Government’s multi dimensional development
programme of water supply, sewerage and sewerage treatment plants.
He further said that there was 15% of urban population that had
yet to be provided the facility of clean drinking water and 43%
was still without sewerage facility in the State. He said that
all these projects would be completed within three years.
Mr. Badal emphasized the need to adopt a holistic approach to
bring awareness amongst the masses about cleanliness and hygiene
because the people of the Malwa belt were contracting diseases
of cancer, skin diseases, viral hepatitis, gastrointestinal infections,
bone & joint disorders and dental caries due to high rate
of toxicity in the water. He appealed the people to contribute
their share of 10% and 5% respectively towards the World Bank’s
drinking water and sewerage facility as one of its stipulated
condition for the implementation of these schemes.
Addressing on the occasion Member Parliament and President Shiromani
Akali Dali Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the spree of foundation
stones laid here today by the Chief Minister in Bathinda and Mansa
districts for the projects of drinking water, sewerage and sewage
treatment plants would go a long way to make Malwa belt free from
contaminated water. He said that the previous congress government
did nothing tangible in the name of development except making
tall claims of mega projects which too proved to be farce later
on. ‘The congress party which considered Malwa
region as their strong hold did not spare any efforts to ignore
this white-gold producing cotton belt blatantly which had been
badly hit due to water logging and unsafe water both for human
consumption as well irrigation’, said Mr.Sukhibr
Badal. He said that our government had already initiated a project
of Rs.3250 crore for the remodeling of canals, drains and water
channels to ensure the availability of water at the tail ends
besides effectively tackling the problem of water logging that
had substantially ravaged the crops and property in the region.
Unfolding the various development projects being initiated in
Bathinda at a cost of Rs.1000 crore, Mr. Sukhbir Badal said that
these consisted of 100% water and sewerage in municipal corporation
Bathinda and all municipal councils in Bathinda and Mansa district
(Rs.250 crore), development of bir, talab, lakes and canal (Rs.25
crore), civil air terminal at Bhisiana (Rs.125 crore), cancer
and super specialty hospital (57 crore), ring road Phase-II (125
crore), multi storey parking at mall road (Rs.25 crore), renovation
of bus stand (Rs.300 crore, five star hotel at lake site (Rs.30
crore), institute of Hotel Management (Rs.13 crore), G.T. road
(10 crore) and works by municipal corporation (40 crore). He hoped
with the upgradation of infrastructure and on-going projects in
Bathinda district would soon catalyze the economic growth in this
region.
Speaking on the occasion, Local Government Minister Manoranjan
Kalia said that these projects in 13 Municipal Councils of Bathinda
and Mansa Districts would entail a cost of Rs. 206.86 crore, of
which Rs. 52.45 crore, Rs. 119.44 core and Rs. 34.95 crore would
be spent on works of water supply, sewerage and sewage treatment
plants respectively.
Prominent amongst who were present on the occasion included
Secretary BJP Kamal Sharma, Mr.Sikandar Singh Maloka, Jagdeep
Singh Nakai, Inderjit Singh Bhaika, Dr.Om Parkash Sharma, Darshan
Singh Kotfatta, Amarjit Singh Sidhu, Hartej Singh, Jatinder Singh
(all Akali Leaders).
WHEAT PROCUREMENT ALL SET TO SURPASS 2001
RECORD
Chandigarh, May 23 :By procuring 104.52 lac tonnes of wheat by
Thursday, Punjab was all set to surpass all time high record of
105.79 lac tonnes achieved by the State in the year 2001-02.
The spokesman said that six government agencies and private millers
have procured more than 104.52 lac tonnes of wheat in Punjab out
of which 98.43 lac tonne (94.2%) has been procured for the central
pool and 2.98 lac tonnes (2.9%) has been procured for the State
pool.
According to an official spokesman till Thursday evening out
of total procurement of 104,52,424 tonnes of wheat in 1623 procurement
centers of Punjab, millers have lifted 3,10,858 tonnes (3%) of
wheat. Till May 22, PUNGRAIN had procured 18, 31,142 tonnes (18.6%)
whereas MARKFED procured 23, 772,23 tonnes (24.2%). PUNSUP procured
22, 605,72 tonnes (23%), PSWC procured 12,00,323 tonnes (12.2%)
whereas PAIC was able to procure11, 12,531 tonnes (11.3 %) of
wheat for the central pool. The Central Government agency FCI
had been able to procure 10, 61,554tonnes (10.8%) for the central
pool.
He added that Ferozepur District with 12,39,747 tonnes of procurement
was leading in procurement operations whereas Sangrur District
with 9,55,795 tonnes of procurement was at second slot and Ludhiana
district with 8,49,260 tonnes of procurement ranked at third position.
The Punjab Government and FCI have made a payment of more than
Rs. 11316 crores to the farmers of the State for wheat procured
upto May 22, 2008 ensuring payment to the farmers within 48 hours
of lifting of their wheat.
The State Government has set up over 1623 procurement centres
and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement
of wheat, the spokesman added.
ELECTION COMMISSION DIRECTS DCs TO DECIDE
WRIT PETITIONS
TO PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS
Chandigarh May 23, 2008
The State Election Commission, Punjab has directed all the District
Electoral Officers-cum-Deputy Commissioners in the State to conduct
summary enquiries and decide upon the issues raised in the representations
/ civil writ petitions by the petitioners related to various Gram
Panchayat elections.
Disclosing this a spokesman of the State Election Commission
said that the Hon'ble Punjab and Haryana High Court in CWP No.8448
of 2008 and other connected Civil Writ Petitions has directed
that the petitioner(s) to approach the State Election Commission,
Punjab who would decide the matter by 24th May, 2008. The question
raised in the writ petition was whether the nomination papers
of the petitioners have been validly entertained or rejected or
otherwise and other issues related to Gram Panchayat elections.
He added that the decisions taken by the Returning Officer under
section 41 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994 at
the time of filing or scrutiny of nomination papers have been
disputed. It is relevant that the record is also available with
the field officers spread all over Punjab . There are number of
writ petitions of a similar nature in respect of places all over
the State. The directions by the High Court for deciding the matter
by 24th May, 2008 would be very difficult to implement, if all
the relevant records were summoned by the State Election Commission
because these officers are currently engaged in the conduct of
Gram Panchayat elections scheduled to be held on 26th May, 2008
and therefore, summoning them to the State Election Commission
with the relevant record and ensuring their presence at State
headquarters would definitely adversely impact the conduct of
panchayat elections.
Adding further he said that as the Deputy Commissioners and the
Additional Deputy Commissioners (Development) are concurrently
District Electoral Officers and the Additional District Electoral
Officers respectively It would be appropriate and feasible for
the District Electoral Officers to summon the relevant record
from the Returning Officers and conduct a summary enquiry and
decide upon the issues raised in the representations/ civil writ
petitions by the petitioners. He said that it would be open for
the District Electoral Officers to obtain report from the Additional
District Electoral Officer or Additional Deputy Commissioner (General),
or Sub Divisional Magistrate-cum-Sub Divisional Electoral Officer
or Tehsildar-cum-Additional Sub Divisional Electoral Officers.
After perusal of the record the District Electoral Officer would
decide the matter.
He added that since the District Electoral Officers would be
very busy with the conduct of Gram Panchayat elections scheduled
for 26.05.2008 and the number of writ petitions of this nature
may be large in a district, therefore, it would be permissible
for them to direct the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Dev.) or
the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gen.) to enquire into the
matter as mentioned above and decide on the lines indicated above.
He said that the Commission exercising the powers vested under
section 3 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994 and
Article 243k and 243N of Constitution of India, has directed that
in case the District Electoral Officer or the Officer so nominated
by him concludes that the purity and sanctity of the election
process has been vitiated or violated, he would have the authority
to countermand the poll. The State Election Commission would accord
ex-part-facto approval since the paucity of time and the imperative
of implementation of the decision of the High Court, did not permit
that all such cases to be decided by the Commission directly.
This order issues in exercise of the powers vested with the State
Election Commission under section 3 of the Punjab State Election
Commission Act, 1994 and Article 243k and 243N of Constitution
of India.
