Chandigarh, July 11: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) submitted a memorandum to the Governor on Saturday, alleging that the Punjab government undermined the democratic process during the local body elections and the subsequent elections for mayors and chairpersons of municipal corporations and councils. The BJP also accused the government of misusing state machinery during the elections and called for the Governor’s intervention in the matter.
The memorandum highlights unprecedented attacks on democratic institutions during the recent elections for municipal corporations, councils, and panchayats in Punjab. The BJP claims that the elections were influenced by widespread misuse of government machinery, political intimidation, administrative interference, and manipulation at all levels, orchestrated by the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government.
The BJP alleged that the arbitrary and biased conduct of the state administration, acting at the behest of the ruling party, rendered the constitutional provisions enshrined in Part 9-A of the Constitution meaningless. This pattern of illegal activities reportedly began well before the voting and continued even after the results were announced.
Despite lacking the necessary majority to elect a mayor, the Aam Aadmi Party allegedly misused administrative machinery, completely disregarding the democratic mandate and influencing the official process to secure positions. The BJP expressed serious concerns regarding the behavior of government employees during these elections, questioning their political neutrality, adherence to constitutional norms, and legal obligations.
The BJP appealed to the Governor to take constitutional cognizance of the serious violations that occurred during the local body elections and the subsequent mayoral and chairperson elections. They also requested that an independent, impartial, and timely investigation into the role of the officials involved in conducting these elections be directed by an authority independent of the state government.
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