Election Commission shackles Punjab minister Bikram Majithia to polling station

CHANDIGARH: In a jolt to Punjab revenue minister Bikram Majithia, the Election Commission on Monday restricted his movements and asked him to stay only in his polling station area till the elections are over in the state.

Majithia, who is handling the election campaign of BJP's Amritsar candidate Arun Jaitley, is an MLA from Majitha assembly constituency. The EC has also directed to keep his movements under surveillance and video-graphed with immediate effect.

V K Singh, chief electoral officer, said according to a communique received from the EC, Majithia will not visit any other part of any assembly segment of Amritsar parliamentary constituency. "The EC directives follow a complaint made by Punjab Congress against Majithia during the course of the campaigning. The restrictions are applicable till polling is over in the state on April 30," Singh told TOI.

Punjab Congress had sent at least two separate complaints to the EC this month. On April 1, it had demanded registration of criminal case and immediate arrest of Majithia for allegedly trying to incite violence against Congress candidate from Amritsar, Capt Amarinder Singh, and intimidating party workers. The complaint cited a reported statement of Majithia that "he will teach a lesson to Congress workers by twisting their necks, if they dare to support Capt Amarinder Singh".

The complaint to Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath by Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira had alleged, "Majithia made a provocative speech at Majitha in Amritsar district on March 30, where he tried to provoke and incite people against Amarinder Singh."

Later on April 25, Congress leader Bir Devinder complained to EC against Majithia for distorting 'Shabad' (hymn) of Guru Gobind Singh as part of his speech on April 24 at Shaheed Udham Singh Hall in Amritsar by adding Jaitley's name to it.

Akali Dal reacted sharply to the EC order, forcing the party officials to go into a huddle to avoid embarrassment. Majithia rushed to the BJP office to meet Jaitley.

"This is a denial of Bikram Majithia's fundamental right to take part in the electoral process as a normal and free citizen of India," said SAD general secretary Harcharan Bains in Amritsar.

"The EC order is patently unfair and hugely biased," he added.

"Instead of complying with the EC order, it is only unfortunate that the SAD is further showing high-handedness of locking horns with the constitutional body.

The EC has been fair and forthright in arriving at their decision that Majithia's men were being a nuisance in Amritsar. For years, they have wielded control. They must face the commission's wrath," former Punjab CM and Congress's Amritsar candidate Capt Amarinder told TOI.