Punjab polls: Sukhbir Badal, Parambans Singh Romana booked for violation of poll code, Covid-19 protocols

Sukhbir Singh Badal. Photo/AFP

An FIR was registered against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and party's candidate in Faridkot Parambans Singh Romana for allegedly violating the model code of conduct and Covid-19 protocols, the Faridkot Police said.

The case was registered based on the Returning Officer (RO) Baljit Kaur's report that over 6,000 people gathered at the SAD rally against the Election Commission's permissible limit of 1,000 people at physical rallies. The complaint was submitted by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which alleged the SAD allowed more than the permitted number of people at the election rally.

In the complaint and video evidence submitted by the Aam Aadmi Party to the election officer, it said that despite the Election Commission's order of 500 people inside and 1000 outside at election rallies, on February 5, SAD gathered a crowd of more than 6000 people in Faridkot's new grain market which was attended by SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Faridkot assembly candidate and SAD youth wing chief Parambans Singh Bunty Romana. Following this, the RO investigated and the case was registered against the SAD chief and Romana.

The FIR was lodged a day after Badal addressed a large gathering in support of Romana at Faridkot City on Saturday.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma said, "We received a written complaint regarding the model code of conduct violation from the Returning Officer and according to the complaint, a case has been registered against Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parambans Singh Bunty Romana and some other persons under the violation of elections model code of conduct and Covid-19 protocols."

The Election Commission of India (EC) extended its ban on political rallies and roadshows on January 31 in the five election-bound states including Punjab till February 11.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the EC granted relaxation for holding indoor and outdoor public meetings in the five poll-bound states while sticking with the ban on roadshows, rallies, processions, and 'padayatra'.

Elections in Punjab will be held in a single phase and the voting will take place on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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