Punjab Assembly Election 2022: SAD Fields Bikram Singh Majithia From Amritsar East Against Navjot Singh Sidhu

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia to contest the Punjab Assembly election against State Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal

Punjab Assembly Polls 2022: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday named Bikram Singh Majithia to contest the Punjab Assembly election against State Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Badal also announced the candidature of his 94-year-old father and five-time state Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from the Lambi assembly seat. The SAD chief made the twin announcements while talking to reporters in Amritsar.

Majithia will ensure that Sidhu would forfeit his security deposit, said Badal. He had already been announced as the SAD candidate from the Majitha seat earlier. Booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act last month, Majithia has been trying to secure an anticipatory bail from courts.

Majithia was denied relief by the Punjab and Haryana High court early this week but was given three-day protection from arrest to move the Supreme Court to challenge the high court order and seek the reprieve.

With the announcement of candidates for two more seats, the SAD has declared candidates on all 97 seats on which it is going to contest the February 20 assembly polls. The SAD has tied up with the BSP for the coming elections.

The Election Commission of India (ECI), earlier this month, announced the dates for the assembly elections in Punjab. The voting for the 117-members assembly will be held one phase on February 20, 2022. The counting of the votes will take place on March 10, 2022, announced the chief election commissioner.

Here’s the complete schedule for Punjab assembly polls:

Issue of notification: January 21

Last date of notification: January 28

Scrutiny of nomination: January 29

Last date of withdrawal of candidature: January 31

Date of poll:  February 20

Counting of votes: March 10

“As Covid cases soared in view of Omicron variant, ECI held meetings with Union Health Secretary & Home Secretary, experts, and health secretaries of States. After taking these views and ground situation, ECI decided to announce polls with safety norms in place,” said the chief election commissioner said in the press conference.