Punjab Govt has sent a panel to EC to chose new DGP

Chandigarh, Jan 20 (UNI) The Punjab Government has sent a panel of three seniormost police officers to the Election Commission, for choosing a replacement S S Virk as the Director General of Punjab police.

The names of Mr P S Aujla, DGP (Rules), Punjab Armed Police DGP R S Gill and Mr A P Pandey, DGP, (Prisons) are understood to have been sent to the EC to chose for the new DGP, informed sources said.

The EC considered the Government's report in respect of Mr Virk and ordered the Government to shift him following complaints by Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) that free and fair elections were not possible under him.

The Commission, in its order issued late last night, said that in recent period substantial concerns have been raised regarding Mr Virk's credibility and perceived neutrality in the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state.

Refusing to comment on the EC's action, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said Mr Virk was a fine officer who fought terrorism and was even injured in a shootout in 1988. Capt Singh denied having shown any favours to Mr Virk.

SAD (Badal) President Prakash Singh Badal had claimed that Mr Virk's continued presence on this highly sensitive post was a '' serious threat to the conduct of a free and fair poll in the state''.

He had urged the EC to act decisively and promptly to save the democratic process from being sabotaged.

Mr Badal had alleged that a close nexus existed between Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Mr Virk, the former having showered huge favours, running into hundreds of crores of rupees on the DGP.

He had further alleged that the DGP would misuse the police force under his command for ensuring a Congress victory in the February poll.

Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami while reviewing poll preparedness in Punjab on Janury 9, had warned of action against officials who were not impartial in the conduct of polls.

Meanwhile, SAD (Badal) General Secretary Sukhbir Singh Badal, while welcoming the EC decision to shift Mr Virk, demanded that a case should be registered against the ex-DGP for allegedly seeking favours from the Government in violation of service rules.

UNI