HC tells EC to advance Beas poll, Centre to provide security

Chandigarh, Feb 22 (UNI) Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Election Commission to hold the election from Beas constituency of Punjab Vidhan Sabha before February 27 when the results of the polls held on February 13 are scheduled to be declared.

The division bench of Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rajive Bhalla also directed the Union government to promptly provide 10 companies of central para-military forces required to be deployed for polling, after the EC counsel M L Sarin submitted that the Commission would be able to hold polls only a week from the arrival of the security forces in the constituency.

The division bench gave the order at the conclusion of the hearing on the writ petition filed by the Congress candidate Jasbir Singh Gill alias Dimpa from Beas, seeking directions to the EC to hold the election in Beas before February 27 or to stay the declaration of the 115 results of the February 13 polls, as the same could adversely affect the outcome ot the Beas poll.

The Union Home Ministry, during the hearing today, conveyed its readiness to provide the required para-military forces for Beas poll.

The elections in Beas had been postponed to March 11 by the EC in the wake of the violent incidents of January 29 in which one person was killed and some others were injured in a clash between supporters of rival candidates.

UNI