Punjab govt project runs into rough weather

Updated on: Sunday, August 14, 2011

The Punjab Government's pet project, to provide 1.20 lakh bicycles to girl students on August 15, has been grounded for now, as the chief Gurdwara election commissioner has turned down the request of the government to launch this scheme.

The government had decided to give cycles only to the girls studying in Class XI and XII in the state under the Mai Bhago Vidya scheme.

The election for the general house of Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC), considered to be mini-Parliament of Sikhs, will be held on September 18.

The announcement in this regard was made on July 28, and from that date the election code of conduct came into force.

Talking to the media persons here today chief commissioner Gurdwara elections HS Brar (Retd justice) said, "We had received a request from the Punjab government that it wanted to launch the scheme of giving cycles to the girl students on August 15, as the code of conduct for the SGPC polls is enforced so we have rejected their request and not given them permission as it amounts to influencing voters."

On the thanks giving rally at Fazilka yesterday by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Brar said, "We have issued a notice to deputy commissioner of Fazilka to give us a report by tomorrow as it was inauguration of the district and if any code of conduct was violated, then we will take final decision."

Brar said, the commission has received 1011 nomination from Punjab for the September 18 SGPC polls, of these highest 122 from Ludhiana followed by Patiala 83, Amritsar 80, Sangrur 77, Ferozepur 70, Gurdaspur 67, Jalandhar 56, Bathinda 57, Moga 53, Tarantaran 48, Muktsar and Ropar 42, Hoshiarpur 32, Barnala 31, Faridkot 29, Mohali 26, Kapurthala 25, Fatehgarh Sahib 20 and SBS Nagar 15.

In Haryana 75 nominations, Chandigarh 14 nominations and Himachal Pradesh 10 nominations have been received, he added.

Punjab govt project runs into rough weather

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