Ram Kumar Mittal
Guhla Chika, 12 December
Former president of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Committee Jagdish Singh Jhinda has welcomed the decision of the Saini government of the state to conduct committee elections, but while criticizing the government, he has demanded that the elections should be conducted through ballot paper instead of EVMs. After addressing the meeting of the Sikh Sangat regarding the Gurdwara Committee elections to be held next month, he said while talking to the reporters that there has been an outcry in the entire country regarding EVMs, seeing which the government should at least in the religious institutions. Nothing should be done on which any finger will be raised after the elections. He said that the government should not create the post of guardian keeping in mind the sentiments of the Sikh community. Questioning the Administrative Returning Officers, he said that the government has assigned the responsibility of SDM level officials to take care of polls and other election-related tasks, but they are not taking much interest in polling. He alleged that the said officials have engaged their junior officers and employees for this work, who are working according to their will and are bent on procrastinating instead of making votes, due to which new votes are being made. Work is progressing at a very slow pace.