Congress seeks early polls under President's Rule in Punjab

The Punjab Congress on Thursday demanded imposition of President's Rule in the state and early assembly polls to "prevent further vitiation of the political and law & order environment" in the state.

Alleging that the law and order situation is constantly deteriorating under the Parkash Singh Badal government in the state, a Congress delegation led by state unit chief Amarinder Singh met Chief Election Commissioner Naseem Zaidi, seeking "immediate intervention" by the poll panel.

"To conduct free and fair elections, the present government should be removed and polls conducted under President's Rule," Amarinder told media persons.

The Congress also urged the poll panel to "hold the assembly polls in a single phase to prevent the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government from using any additional time to further misuse their authority".

"If they (SAD) are allowed to continue with their uninhibited control over the state's administration till the completion of polls, they will only plunge the state into further lawlessness," he said.

In a memorandum to the Election Commission, the Congress said: "There is complete collapse of administrative machinery in the state under the Badal regime".

The party alleged that the law & order situation in the state has worsened following the Supreme Court's judgement on the Satluj-Yamuna Link canal issue.

--IANS

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