EC okays Suresh Arora’s name for Punjab DGP

In lieu of Sumedh Singh Saini — ostensibly on leave till the poll process is over

The Election Commission of India (EC) has approved the name of senior IPS officer Suresh Arora for the post of Punjab Police Chief in place of Sumedh Singh Saini, who has proceeded on leave ostensibly till the completion of the ongoing election process.

In a communication to the State government late on Thursday, the EC has directed the Chief Secretary to report early compliance of its decision. The name of Mr. Arora, who is currently posted Chief of the Vigilance Bureau, figured in the three-member panel forwarded by the Punjab government for the EC’s consideration, after Mr. Saini decided to proceed on leave from April 4 onwards.

According to an official release quoting the Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Supreet Singh Gulati, the panel received by the EC included the names of the State Police’s senior-most officers G.D. Pandey, Sanjeev Gupta and Suresh Arora, who are already serving in the rank of Director General of Police (DGP).

Tough stance

Earlier, during the week, the EC took a tough stance and transferred nearly half-a-dozen senior police officers, following complaints that they had sided with the ruling Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party. While the State government anticipated a similar decision from the EC about the Police Chief, Mr. Saini decided to proceed on leave to avoid any embarrassment.

While Mr. Saini’s request for leave was forwarded to the EC late on Wednesday evening, the commission sought a panel of officers from whom it could pick a police chief to oversee the security arrangements as well as general law and order preparedness during the election process.

Ever since the beginning of this year, the opposition Congress has made persistent demands for the removal of Mr. Saini from the position of the State Police Chief, so that the elections were held in a free and fair manner. Former Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, who is the Congress candidate from Amritsar, had alleged that during the last Assembly polls, Mr. Saini had misused his position to the advantage of the ruling alliance, which ultimately retained power.

Sukhpal Singh Kaira, party spokesman in Punjab, had sought Mr. Saini’s removal on grounds that the officer was charge-sheeted in a case related to the disappearance of the latter’s relatives.

Sukhbir Badal’s denial

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the Home portfolio, sought to down play the development by arguing that officers from police or civil administration could not impact the prospects of any candidate in the fray. He said that had it been the case, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi would have ensured that most of the opponents lost their security deposits.

Mr. Badal accused the Congress was resorting to false propaganda in Punjab and had adopted a strategy to file a series of complaints with the EC to browbeat the people as well as the bureaucracy.