Amarinder Singh Raja Warring flags "systematic denial" of NOCs in Punjab rural polls, seeks urgent SEC intervention

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], December 1 (ANI): Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday raised serious concerns over what he described as a "deliberate and systematic denial" of mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to candidates contesting the upcoming Zila Parishad and Block Parishad elections scheduled for December 14.
Warring alleged that candidates across multiple districts in Punjab are unable to file their nomination papers because officials responsible for issuing NOCs are "missing" from duty. He said the situation has triggered widespread distress among aspirants, many of whom have been making frantic calls to party offices, reporting that designated officers are "unreachable or unavailable" despite the nomination deadline drawing near.
Calling the situation a "gross violation of the electoral process," Warring warned that the alleged non-availability of officials appeared to be part of a "deliberate design" to obstruct opposition candidates. Such actions, he said, could directly influence the fairness of the upcoming rural local body elections.
In a formal letter addressed to State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhari, IAS, the Punjab Congress chief demanded immediate intervention. He urged the Commission to issue strict directions ensuring that all responsible officials remain present at their stations and issue NOCs without delay.
"I have been flooded with messages and phone calls about this problem... There appears to be a deliberate design in this to deny the NOCs to our candidates and perhaps to all other opposition candidates so that they are not able to contest," Warring wrote in the letter. He emphasised that denying NOCs at such a crucial stage could disenfranchise deserving candidates and compromise the credibility of the electoral process.
Reiterating that the timely issuance of NOCs is a statutory requirement for filing nominations, Warring said the Election Commission must act swiftly to restore confidence among candidates and ensure a level playing field.
The Punjab Congress has sought an immediate response from the State Election Commission and called for corrective measures to prevent any disruption to the nomination process ahead of the December 14 elections.
Meanwhile, Warring on Monday said he fully agrees with former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's assertion that the BJP has no future in Punjab.
Warring said the BJP had "completely alienated Punjabis" with its alleged anti-Punjab policies and asserted that the party could never form a government in the state "with or without allies".
Reacting to Captain Amarinder's reported remarks suggesting that the BJP cannot form a government in Punjab without an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Warring said both parties "stand wiped out" from the state's political landscape.
"Even if the Akalis and the BJP come together, it will make no difference as zero plus zero is always zero," he said, adding that Captain Amarinder had "shown the mirror to his own party" with his assessment. (ANI)