Pratap Singh Bajwa Welcomes High Court’s Stay on Punjab Panchayat Elections
In Chandigarh, Punjab, the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Pratap Singh Bajwa, expressed his approval of the High Court’s decision to halt Panchayat elections in over 200 villages. He highlighted that many individuals were denied their fundamental rights and urged the court to address the issue. Bajwa criticized the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government for allegedly misusing power to suppress these rights.
Concerns Over Election Violence
Previously, Bajwa had pointed out incidents of violence related to the elections, stating that the government failed to maintain peace. He mentioned a tragic incident in Amritsar where a Congress worker died, and four others were injured due to election-related violence.
Allegations of Election Misconduct
Advocate Kuljinder Singh, representing the petitioners, accused the government of obstructing the nomination process by tearing nomination papers and forging signatures. The High Court, after reviewing these allegations, issued a stay order, describing the situation as a ‘murder of democracy.’
Upcoming Court Hearing
The High Court received around 250 petitions regarding election irregularities, and the next hearing is set for October 14. The Punjab State Election Commission had planned the elections for October 15, with nominations starting on September 27.
Clashes Between Political Parties
On October 2, a clash occurred between AAP and Congress candidates in Zira town, Ferozepur district. The police intervened, and an FIR is to be registered, according to Ferozepur SSP Somya Mishra.
Doubts Revealed
Pratap Singh Bajwa -: Pratap Singh Bajwa is a politician in Punjab, India. He is the Leader of Opposition, which means he leads the group of politicians who are not in power.
High Court -: The High Court is a major court in India that deals with important legal cases. It can make decisions that affect the whole state.
Panchayat Elections -: Panchayat elections are local elections in villages in India. They help choose leaders who will make decisions for the village.
AAP -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, a political party in India. It is currently leading the government in Punjab.
Fundamental rights -: Fundamental rights are basic rights that every citizen in India has, like the right to vote and the right to speak freely.
Election-related violence -: Election-related violence refers to fights or conflicts that happen because of elections. Sometimes people get hurt or even killed during these conflicts.
Amritsar -: Amritsar is a city in the state of Punjab, India. It is famous for the Golden Temple, a very important place for Sikhs.
Advocate -: An advocate is a lawyer who helps people with legal issues. They represent people in court and give legal advice.
Nominations -: Nominations are when people are officially suggested or put forward to be candidates in an election.
Petitions -: Petitions are formal requests made to a court or government. In this case, people are asking the High Court to look into problems with the elections.
Clashes -: Clashes are fights or conflicts between groups of people. In this context, it refers to disagreements between political party members.
Zira town -: Zira is a town in Punjab, India. It is one of the places where political clashes were reported during the elections.