This Article is From Feb 12, 2016

All Arrangements Made For Khadoor Sahib Bypoll In Punjab Tomorrow

All Arrangements Made For Khadoor Sahib Bypoll In Punjab Tomorrow

SAD president Sukhbir Badal during his campaigning on this Assembly seat had slammed both Congress and AAP.

Chandigarh: All arrangements have been made for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the Khadoor Sahib Assembly seat bypoll in Taran Taran district tomorrow.

"All the arrangement have been made for Khadoor Sahib bypoll," Punjab Chief Electoral Officer, VK Singh said today.

"We have deployed paramilitary force for all the polling stations," Mr Singh said.

The bypoll is being held as the seat fell vacant after Congress legislator Ramanjit Singh Sikki resigned in protest against sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib last year.

There are seven contestants in the fray but among main political parties, only Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has put up his candidate. The main opposition party Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have not fielded any candidate for the bypoll.

Ravinder Singh Brahampura, son of Akali stalwart, Ranjit Singh Brahampura is contesting on SAD ticket. The six others are Puran Singh of BSP (Ambedkar) and Independents Sumel Singh Sidhu (AAP rebel), Bhupinder Singh Bittu (Congress rebel), Sukhdev Singh, Harjit Singh and Anantjit Singh Sandhu.

The nomination papers of AAP dissident Bhai Baldeep Singh were rejected by returning officer as he not was registered as a voter in Punjab.

Congress had pulled out of the race on the last date of filing the nomination and had said that the issue on which Mr Sikki had resigned was still unresolved. Mr Sikki had even appealed to voters to boycott the bypoll.

AAP had earlier announced not to contest Khadoor Sahib bypoll.

SAD president Sukhbir Badal during his campaigning on this Assembly seat had slammed both Congress and AAP for "running away" from the contest as "both parties are scared of losing". The Deputy Chief Minister had said that this bypoll would set the tone for 2017 Punjab Assembly polls.

The voting would start at 8 am and will go up till 5 pm.

The counting of vote will take place on February 16 and the result will be declared on the same day.
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