Congress urges EC to ban Majithia's entry into Amritsar

Amritsar, May 17 (UNI) The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) today sent a complaint to the Election Commission of India, seeking a criminal case against Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Principal Secretary D S Jaspal as well as a ban on their entry in Amritsar city till the election process was over.

In a communique to the Chief Election Commissioner, PPCC chief spokesman Bir Devinder Singh today alleged that they were ''attempting to influence the officials'' in favour of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP candidate and blatantly violating the model code of conduct, operative in Amritsar district because of byelection for Amritsar (South) Assembly constituency, scheduled for May 22.

The complaint alleged that Mr Majithia had called a meeting of the officials of the Public Relations department of Punjab Government, including the Principal Secretary of the Department, D S Jaspal, in a hotel room booked here in the name of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal to discuss the poll strategy and advertisement campaign for SAD candidate Inderbir Singh Bularia.

''In view of this gross misconduct of the Minister and the Principal Secretary, a criminal case should be registered against both of them and their entry must be banned in the Amritsar city till the election process is completed,'' the complaint said.

In a separate communique to the Chief Election Commissioner, PPCC chief spokesman Bir Devinder Singh today said in continuation of the party's complaint sent to him yesterday, the EC should seek details of the call data records (CDR) of the mobile calls of the Chief Secretary on May 16.

The details of the flights of the helicopters, which the Shiromani Akali Dal as well as the Punjab government had hired to ferry the leaders to Amritsar after the announcement of the by-polls, and photos and video recordings of the visits should be put in place, he said.

''The Election Commission of India is requested to seek the above said details in order to monitor our complaint meticulously,'' he added.

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