Free and fair elections need impartial officials

Election Commission has forwarded a letter written by Advocate H C Arora to the top brass of Punjab Police.

The Election Commission (EC) has forwarded a letter written by Advocate H C Arora to the top brass of Punjab Police. Arora had written to the EC requesting the commission to ensure that no tainted police official or government servant is posted on election duty in the forthcoming elections.

Talking to Newsline,a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) from Punjab confirmed the development. He said an official communication from the Election Commission has been received which has referred to a representation sent by Advocate H C Arora.

In his representation,Arora had said that the concept of free and fair elections pre-supposes posting of honest and impartial government servants on election duty.

The representation further reads. Police officials play a very vital role for conducting such free and fair elections. In fact,their role in elections is much more important than the other civil servants posted on election duty. It cannot be disputed that police officials who are facing criminal cases cannot be expected to perform their election duty in an impartial manner.

Arora said that he had sought information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with regard to tainted police officers in all the offices of SSPs in Punjab. So far information has only been received from SSP Gurdaspurs office.

Under RTI it was revealed that a total of 31 cases are pending against police officers posted in Gurdaspur,Punjab. Surprisingly,some of them are facing charges of murder,rape and attempt to murder.

Submitting this information made available under RTI,Arora had requested,in December to ensure that no tainted police official is posted during Vidhan Sabha elections.

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