• Source:JND
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The Election Commission of India has accepted the nomination of jailed Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh. He will be contesting the general election from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib seat. Singh, who is currently lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail, filed his nomination as an independent candidate on May 10.

Recently, Amritpal asked for seven days' release regarding nominations. But he was not granted bail. On April 23, last year, Amritpal was arrested and detained under the National Security Act (NSA) Act, 1980.

Earlier, his mother had claimed that pressure was being put on Amritpal to contest the polls and had added that he would begin his political innings from Khadoor sahib.

"Pressure was being put on Amritpal Singh to contest the elections and now he is going to start his political innings from Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. This election will not be fought by him on the platform of any party. This election will be fought as an independent candidate," Balwinder Kaur told media as quoted by news agency ANI.

Singh was arrested last year in April, and the stringent National Security Act was invoked against him. He and nine of his associates are currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam. Last month, the government extended the NSA against Amritpal and his nine associates.

Singh has been on the run since March 18 last year, the day Punjab Police launched a massive manhunt for him. He is a supporter of Khalistan and the head of 'Waris Punjab De'. He was born on January 17, 1993, in Jallupur Kheda, Amritsar. In 2021, Amritpal joined the family's transport business and moved to Dubai. He returned to India in 2022. 

Amritpal came into the limelight after the violence at the Ajnala police station in Amritsar. It was alleged that Amritpal, angry over the arrest of his associate, Lovepreet Singh Toofan, along with his supporters, attacked Ajnala police station on February 23. He and his associates had been booked in several criminal cases related to spreading disharmony among classes, attempts to murder, attacks on police personnel, and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.

(With input from agencies)