No reply to panel, Sunil Jakhar faces action

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 19

Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar is all set to face action after he failed to reply to the April 11 show-cause notice served on him by the party’s disciplinary committee. The disciplinary panel headed by former Defence Minister AK Antony had given Jakhar a week’s time to respond. The deadline ended today.

Meet in day or two

The disciplinary panel will meet in a day or two and take appropriate action, which includes suspension or expulsion. — Tariq Anwar, Disciplinary Panel Member

It’s their call

I have not replied to the notice. Whatever the panel does, they are well within their rights. — Sunil Jakhar, PCC Ex-Chief

The committee had served notices on Jakhar and former Union minister KV Thomas. The latter had responded, panel member Tariq Anwar said. “We had served show-cause notices on both leaders and sought a reply within a week, but we have not received Jakhar’s reply. The disciplinary committee will hold its meeting in the next day or two and take appropriate action, which includes suspension or expulsion,” Anwar said.

Jakhar for his part said the committee, which had served the notice, was well within its rights to do what it deemed fit.

“I have not replied to the notice. That is a fact. Whatever the committee does, they are well within their rights. They have given a notice and it is up to them to take whatever decision they take,” Jakhar said. Noting that he was still with the Congress, the former PCC chief was silent on any potential future plans.

Jakhar is facing a notice for remarks on Punjab election eve that “he got the maximum 42 MLA votes in the race for chief ministership after Amarinder Singh was removed, Sukhjinder Randhawa got 16, Charanjit Singh Channi, the Congress’ pick for the post two votes, Navjot Sidhu six and Preneet Kaur 12.”

After the party’s poll debacle in Punjab, Jakhar had described Channi as a “liability” for the Congress.

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