CHANDIGARH: In the general elections of  Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis more than 1.51 crore voters would exercise their franchise in the state on Monday May 12th 2008. The main contest is between ruling Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD)-NJP alliance and Congress party.

Total 17714 polling booths have been set up for elections of 20 Zila Parishads and 141 Panchayat Samitis. To ensure smooth, free and fair voting about 88700 employees have been deputed on all the polling booths as presiding officers and polling officers. Besides this the Commission had already deputed 29 Observers in the state.

Following reports of miscunductm the State Election Commission, Saturday postponed the elections of the two zones of two Zila Parishads and four Panchayat Samitis to 26th May which were scheduled to be held on 12th May 2008 in the state.

An official spokesman  said that on the directions of  Punjab and Haryana High Court, the elections to Zila Parishad Bathinda Zone No. 10 Bangi Ruldu (women) District Bathinda and Zila Parishad Ludhiana Zone No. 11 Binjal District Ludhiana, Panchayat Samiti Zone

No.12 Dhandowal Distt. Jalandhar, Panchayat Samiti Ghanour Zone No.12 Bathonia Kalan (BC) Distt Patiala, Panchayat Samiti Bhunga Zone No.19 Bassi Ballo District Hosiarpur and Panchayat Samiti Zone No. 15
Machhiwara District Ludhiana have been postponed to 26th May.

He said that as per the election schedule, specific date has to be fixed for withdrawal and allotment of symbols. Further period of campaigning would also to be allowed. Accordingly it is directed that polls to the two zones of both the Zila Parishads and the above said Panchayat Samitis, which were scheduled to be held on 12.05.2008, have been hereby postponed.  Further, the polls to these bodies would be held on 26.05.2008. The date of withdrawal would be 19th May 2008 and symbols would be allotted thereafter.

Meanwhile, the State Election Commission has changed an Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) in block Kahnuwan District Gurdaspur and issued directions to transfer SHO, Police Station Payal district Ludhiana.

 Sukhdev Raj, Sub-Divisional Engineer has been appointed as new ARO of Panchayat Samiti Kahnuwan and Zila Parishad Gurdaspur Zone No. 13 Zafarwal replacing Mr. Ram Gopal Sub-Divisional Engineer. Earlier to Ram Gopal Mr. Phuman Singh Tehsildar Kahnuwan was assigned the duty of ARO of this block.

In another case the Commission has issued directions to DIG Ludhiana Range to transfer SHO, Police Station Payal district Ludhiana immediately on the complaint of Mrs. Charanjit Kaur of village Kaddon Tehsil Payal District Ludhiana. It was alleged by the complaint that on the last day of filing of the nomination papers her son was illegally detained by registering a case against her son under the Excise Act and was physically tortured. The matter was got enquired into from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate Khanna and the Election Observer. They have found prima facie that he has acted in an illegal and partisan manner in this case. The Commission was convinced on the report that it would not be possible for the electors to exercise their franchise free and fearlessly during the incumbency of the current SHO, PS Payal.

The State Commission has directed to DIG and SSP Ludhiana to transfer SHO, PS, Payal forthwith to a non public dealing post till at least during the period when the election Code of Conduct is in force and the compliance report may please be faxed today itself.