SAD, BJP ask EC to shift cops in Gurdaspur ahead of bypoll

The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance today urged the Election Commission to immediately shift senior police officers in Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, alleging that they were implicating their leaders in false cases.
Bye-election is due on October 11 in the constituency which fell vacant following the death of BJP MP Vinod Khanna.
The SAD-BJP delegation apprised the Commission of the prevailing circumstances in the constituency and accused the ruling Congress of having "mala fide intentions" to "grab" the seat.
The leaders alleged that attempts were being made by the Congress to harass the SAD-BJP leaders by registering false FIRs against them.

The delegation alleged that 27 senior leaders of the SAD have been "framed in false cases by name and other 500 workers have been booked as unidentified".
"These cases have been registered with the sole motive and intension that they may detain any person under the garb of unidentified persons as referred in the FIRs," they alleged in their complaint.

The delegation comprised of Punjab BJP President and Union Minister of State Vijay Sampla, Akali MPs Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Shwet Malik, Naresh Gujral, former BJP chief Ashwani Kumar and SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema.
The leaders also briefed the Commission about cases against senior Akali leaders of the area like Sucha Singh Langah, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, both former ministers, and Des Raj Dhugga, former chief parliamentary secretary.

The delegation also urged the Commission to summon records of these cases from the DGP to examine the legal genuineness of these FIRs and appealed to the Commission to direct the state home department not to arrest anybody on the basis of these FIRs till the election process is over.
The last date for filing of nominations for Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bye-election is September 22 while the model code is already in force.