CHANDIGARH: The Election Commission on Saturday issued directions for the suspension of Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr. Ravjot Kaur Grewal, three days ahead of the November 11 assembly by-election.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar has been given the additional charge of SSP, Tarn Taran, with immediate effect. No reason was mentioned for Grewal’s suspension. She had been posted as the Tarn Taran SSP in September.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had recently lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab against Grewal, accusing her of using the police force to file false and baseless FIRs against SAD leadership and cadre to prevent them from campaigning in the by-election. Party chief spokesman and legal cell head Arshdeep Singh Kler alleged that the police were acting under pressure from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and registering politically motivated FIRs to obstruct the party’s campaign.
Kler stated that notices under Sections 126 and 169 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were issued to SAD leaders to stop them from canvassing. He also cited FIRs against Dodhe village sarpanch Varinder Singh and Manpreet Singh, the personal assistant of SAD candidate Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa.
Last month, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had lodged a complaint with the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer against SSP Grewal, accusing her of using the police to file “false” FIRs against the party’s leadership and cadre to prevent them from campaigning for the Tarn Taran bypoll. The SAD also held a dharna against the SSP for allegedly acting against its party workers and leaders.
Polling for the Tarn Taran bypoll will be held on November 11, with results scheduled to be announced on November 14. The Tarn Taran assembly seat fell vacant following the death of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June.