An embarrassed Congress government shifted Ferozepur SSP, Harmandeep Singh Hans, and posted Narindera Bhargava to the key post for the poll season and amid a row over the PM security breach.
New Delhi: Amid the controversy of PM's security breach, Ferozepur cops are to get a new boss in the form of Narindera Bhargava replacing the incumbent SSP Harmandeep Singh.
The Punjab government on Saturday (January 8), an hour before the announcement of polls and enforcement of Model Code of Conduct, appointed 1987-batch IPS officer Viresh Kumar Bhawra as the state DGP.
He replaces Sidharth Chattopadhyaya, the officiating Director General of Police (DGP), who was also under attack along with top cops in Ferozepur for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach on January 5. Official sources in Chandigarh said Bhawra has been appointed for a two-year tenure after the state had two officiating DGPs, Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota and Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, in the last few months.
An embarrassed Congress government shifted Ferozepur SSP, Harmandeep Singh Hans, and posted Narindera Bhargava to the key post for the poll season and amid a row over the PM security breach. The Punjab government altogether transferred seven IPS officers and two PPS officers.
As announced by the Election Commission on Saturday, Punjab goes to the polls on February 14, along with Uttarakhand and Goa.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju said 75 companies have been allotted for Punjab to conduct polls, and 50 would reach the state on Monday. CEO Raju held a meeting with DCs-cum-DEOs and senior police officers and issued directions to ensure its compliance in letter and spirit. He has also brought all Election Commission's guidelines to the notice of the Chief Secretary and other senior officials.
Meanwhile, the BJP won all three top posts in the mayoral elections in Chandigarh. Sarabjit Kaur will be the new Chandigarh mayor.
A total electorate of 2,12,75,066 are eligible to cast their votes to elect a new legislature in Punjab. There will also be 695 third gender voters in the state. The state is heading for a four-cornered contest between Congress, AAP, Akali Dal, and the BJP-Amarinder Singh's new party combine.
