Jailed radical preacher Amritpal Singh to contest LS polls as independent candidate from Punjab's Khadoor Sahib seat

Amritpal, who is lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act, filed his nomination as an independent candidate on May 10.

His uncle filed the nomination papers on Singh's behalf.

Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held on June 1.

The Punjab government informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it made arrangements for the radical preacher to file his nomination for the Lok Sabha election.

The state government's reply came on a petition filed by Singh seeking a temporary release for seven days to file his nomination papers or alternatively.

Amritpal, who styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested in Moga's Rode village on April 23 last year following an over a month-long manhunt.

The Khalistani sympathiser had escaped the police net in Jalandhar district on March 18, switching vehicles and changing appearances.

Amritpal, who had supported calls for the formation of Khalistan, a separate Sikh homeland, was wanted for several charges, including attempted murder, obstruction of law enforcement, and creating disharmony.

He and his supporters, armed with swords, knives, and guns, had raided a police station in March and clashed with policemen.