Days before the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections on December 14, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma proceeded on leave and Sangrur SSP Sartaj Singh Chahal will now ensure free and fair polls in Patiala and Sangrur.

Sharma took leave just hours ahead of the Punjab and Haryana High Court hearing in the viral audio-clip controversy, in the afternoon today.

Sources in the police department confirmed that SSP Sharma went on a week’s leave on Tuesday evening. They added that, for now, Sangrur SSP Sartaj Chahal will oversee Patiala’s policing in addition to his present posting. Chahal held a meeting with local officers and discussed the law and order ahead of the polling day, later this week.

The move comes ahead of the high court hearing which had on Monday asked the State Election Commissi

See Full Page