Dokument #1080439
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa
Sources indicate that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is a political party led by Parkash Singh Badal, who is the Chief Minister of Punjab (PHW 2014, 631-632; India 2014). Sources report that SAD, as part of a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is the ruling party in Punjab, having won the 2012 state election (PHW 2014, 632; Elections India 2014). Results of the 2012 election for the state legislative assembly for Punjab indicate that, of a total of 117 seats, SAD won 56 seats and the BJP won 12 seats, while the leading opposition party in Punjab, the Indian National Congress (Congress), won 46 seats (ibid.). Indian media sources report that in the 2013 elections for the Zila Parishad and the Block [or Panchayat] Samiti [local self-governing bodies (IANS 19 May 2013)], the SAD-BJP coalition won 297 of 329 Zila Parishad seats and 2,122 of 2,731 Panchayat Samitis seats in Punjab (Day and Night News [2013]; North Gazette 22 May 2013).
The Political Handbook of the World 2014 notes that SAD's influence is largely restricted to the state of Punjab, but that the party participates in national elections and "campaigns against excessive federal influence in Sikh affairs" (PHW 2014, 631). Sources report that in the 2014 elections, SAD won four seats in the Lok Sabha (ibid. 632; Elections India 2014; Encyclopaedia Britannica 11 Sept. 2014), the lower chamber of the Indian parliament (ibid.).
According to PHW 2014, in 2013 the Amritsar faction of the party reintegrated with SAD (PHW 2014, 632). For further information about the SAD and its factions see Response to Information Requests IND104058 and IND103727.
Sources report that there were violent clashes between SAD and Congress in Punjab during the May 2013 Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections (The Tribune 19 May 2013a; The Indian Express 20 May 2013). The Indian Express reports that there were clashes between SAD and Congress at 23 different polling booths, however the police indicated that overall, "polling went off peacefully" (ibid.). According to sources, violence was reported in several places in Punjab during that time (DNA 7 May 2014; The Tribune May 2013a) as well as booth-capturing (ibid.; The Hindustan Times 2 May 2014).
According to sources, on 8 May 2013, a Congress block president was shot dead in Tarn Taran district by SAD activists (Outlook 17 May 2013; Hindustan Times 16 June 2013). According to the Hindustan Times, a Delhi news source, three people were arrested in connection with the murder of the Congress block president (ibid.). The same source reports that Congress members and the victim's family reportedly accused the government of protecting the perpetrators (ibid.). The Hindustan Times reports that police denied that the murder was politically driven, attributing it to "persona[l] enmity" (ibid.).
Outlook reports that on 17 May 2013, a member of SAD and a member of Congress were killed during an election rally clash at Chak Mishri Khan in Amritsar district (Outlook 17 May 2013). In May 2013, the Tribune, a Chandighar-based daily newspaper, reported that the Punjab Police arrested six people involved with the killing of the Congress leader in Chak Mishri Khan (The Tribune 19 May 2013c). Further information about this incident could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Sources provide details on violent incidents involving SAD members or supporters during the May 2013 elections including the following:
Further and corroborating information about these incidents could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Sources report incidents of violence involving SAD in elections taking place in 2014, including the following:
Further and corroborating information about these incidents could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Information on incidents of violence instigated by members of SAD in Haryana or Darar could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Collins English Dictionary. N.d.a. "Panchayat."
Collins English Dictionary. N.d.b. "Sarpanch."
Daily News & Analysis (DNA). 7 May 2014. "Congress Alleges Vendetta Against Workers in Punjab."
Day and Night News. [2013]. "Punjab Panchayat Election Results 2013."
The Economic Times. 21 August 2014. "Congress Alleges Violence by Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab By-poll."
Elections India. 2014. Elections in Punjab (PB) - 2014 Results.
Encyclopaedia Britannica. 11 September 2014. "Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)."
Hindustan Times. 21 May 2013. "AIYC Warns of Stir Against SAD's 'Political Terrorism'." Factiva. [Accessed 2 Feb. 2015]
_____ .16 June 2013. "Another Arrested in Sukhraj Murder Case." (Factiva).
_____ .2 May 2014. "Day After: AAP Candidate Fears for His Life." (Factiva).
The Indian Express. 20 May 2013. Raakhi Jagga. "Zila Parishad, Block Samiti Polls: 63% Turnout, Clashes at 23 Places."
Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). 19 May 2013. "Violence Reported in Punjab Local Elections."
North Gazette. 22 May 2013. "Results of Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti Elections in Punjab; SAD Wins 2519 Seats."
The North India Press (NIP). "Mohali: Clash Between Congress, Akalis in Jagatpura." (Factiva).
Outlook. 4 May 2014. "Akali Sarpanch Fires at Congress Worker."
_____. 17 May 2013. "Sukhbir Behind Political Murders, Must Resign: Bajwa."
Political Handbook of the World 2014 (PHW). 2014. "India." Edited by Tom Lansdorf. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
The Times of India. 23 August 2014. "Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress Workers Clash During Bypoll." (Factiva).
_____. 1 May 2014. Neel Kamal. "Congress-SAD Workers Clash at Moga Village, Two Injured." (Factiva).
_____ .18 May 2013. IP Singh. "Congress Demands Fact Finding Team from Home Ministry." (Factiva).
The Tribune. 19 May 2013a. "Police Was Partisan, Did Not Act."
_____. 19 May 2013b. Aman Sood. "18 Hurt in Cong-SAD Clashes in Patiala."
_____. 19 May 2013c. "Six Held in Cong Leader's Murder Case."
_____. 19 May 2013d. Archit Watts. "Armed Youths Capture Booth in Lambi."
_____. 19 May 2013e. Praful Chander Nagpal. "Independent Candidate, Cong Poll Agent Attacked in Fazilka."
_____. 19 May 2013f. Sanjeev Singh Bariana. "Violence Rocks Badal Turf as 65% Vote in Panchayat Polls."
_____. 19 May 2013g. "Cong Supporters Block NH in Ropar."
Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; ecoi.net; Europa; Freedom House; The Hindu; Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR); IBN Live; IRIN; The Jamestown Foundation; Jane's Security Monitor; Ludhiana Tribute; Punjab Newsline; Radio Free Asia; The Sikh Siyasat Network; South Asian Terrorism Portal; UN – UNHCR, Refworld, Reliefweb, UNHC; US – Department of State, OSAC; Zee News.
India: Incidents of violence instigated by members of the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab and Haryana, including in Darar (2013-January 2015) [IND105060.E] (Anfragebeantwortung, Französisch)