Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Baba Bakala in Amritsar Dalbir Singh Tong was arrested in Jalandhar today for allegedly violating the model code of conduct and later released on bail, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said.
According to the model code of conduct, no person from outside the polling constituency can remain in the area after the campaign period is over without the permission of the Election Commission or a valid reason.
Voting for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-election, which began at 8 am, will continue till 6 pm.
The Punjab CEO said the action against Tong was taken under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and he was later released on bail.
The CEO said police have been making announcements, asking outsiders to leave the constituency.
Earlier Wednesday, Congress MLA from Shahkot Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia said that Tong, being an outsider, was in Shahkot, which comes under the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency.
Sherowalia and his supporters even blocked the AAP legislator's vehicle and called the police.
Opposition party leaders have accused the AAP of violating the model code of conduct by deploying outsiders at several booths, a charge denied by the ruling party.
Congress candidate Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, through her election agent, wrote a letter to the chief election commissioner, alleging AAP leaders and workers, who are not the residents of Jalandhar and came from outside the constituency for campaigning, were still present in almost every village and ward.
Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma too wrote a letter to the CEC, alleging several AAP MLAs and leaders were present in the constituency. Sharma accused the AAP government of misusing the official machinery.
The seat fell vacant after the death of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary due to a cardiac arrest during his party's Bharat Jodo Yatra in January. The results will be declared on May 13.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Revisiting Kargil At 25: The Story Of Captain Vijyant Thapar
Bhagwant Mann Rents Home In Jalandhar Ahead Of Bypolls. Here's Why Video: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, Son In Trouble Over Noida Petrol Pump Assault In Arvind Kejriwal's Meeting With AAP Legislators, A Key MLA Missing Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Recalled To Academy, Training Put On Hold "No Defamatory Remarks Against Governor": High Court To Mamata Banerjee Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 2.39 Lakh Admission Deadline Extended For EWS And Special Needs Children UGC Launches Project To Develop 22,000 Books In Indian Languages Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.