OSDs to CM draw flak over poll code ‘violation’; 6 resign

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 18

The officers on special duty (OSD) to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh are once again in news. After seen accompanying the Chief Minister and other leaders on political engagements after the model code of conduct came into force, attracting objections on the misuse of official machinery by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), six of the 10 OSDs have resigned.

Those who have resigned include Gurpreet Singh, Damanjeet Singh Mohi, Jagdeep Singh Sidhu, Sandeep Singh Brar and Ankit Bansal. They are posted at the CM’s residence.

As most of the OSDs having affiliations with senior party leaders have been sharing political messages and posts on social networking sites, it becomes imperative for them to resign as they are drawing salaries from the government. They cannot participate in any political activity during the period when the model code of conduct is in force as per the Election Commission guidelines.

Unlike the last bypolls to the Shahkot Assembly seat and the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat when OSDs were reportedly asked to stay away from the election campaign of the ruling Congress, there is no such directive from the party this time.

Over the last few days, the OSDs were actively seen around the Chief Minister during his visits to the state party headquarters in connection with the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. It is learnt that though the resignation letters procured from them do not mention any date, it will pre-empt any action from the Election Commission.

Not only the OSDs, Capt Sandeep Sandhu, who doubles as Secretary (Political) and General Secretary incharge of the Punjab Congress office in Chandigarh, resigned a day after the nomination of former Union Minister Manish Tewari was cleared on April 12. Capt Sandhu, who was himself a candidate from Anandpur Sahib, has been appointed member secretary in the Election Management Committee. While the Media Adviser to the CM Raveen Thukral resigned on April 7, press secretary to CM Vimal Sumbly resigned last week.

Sources in the government claimed that once the election process was over, the political appointees would get reappointed to their respective posts.

Were ‘engaging’ in political activities

They were reportedly seen accompanying the Chief Minister and other leaders on political engagements after the model code of conduct was implemented. As per ECI guidelines, they cannot participate in any political activity when the poll code is in force.