Punjab: Mann Government Approves IAS Officer's VRS Request To Contest Lok Sabha Elections As BJP Candidate In Bathinda

After rejecting IAS Parampal Kaur Sidhu’s request for voluntary retirement from service (VRS), the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government approved it on Saturday (11 May).

Sidhu is BJP's candidate for the Lok Sabha elections from the state's Bathinda, a constituency represented by Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Harsimrat Kaur Badal since 2009.

In a four-cornered election, Sidhu will have to face incumbent MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and Congress' Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu.

Earlier, Sidhu's request was rejected as the Mann government accused her of "falsifying" grounds for VRS. She then filed a fresh resignation request on 8 May and the Centre intervened.

Centre asked the Punjab government if it had any objection to Sidhu's resignation, to which the AAP government responded with no objection paving the way for Sidhu to file nominations.

Earlier, she planned to file the nomination on Friday, but without a no-due certificate, she deferred it to 13 May. She joined the BJP last month after applying for resignation, Indian Express reported.

She comes from a SAD background, as her father-in-law is SAD leader Sikandar Singh Maluka. She is a 2011-batch officer and made her entry into the Indian Administrative Services in 2016 through the nomination route.