Responding to the Punjab government, Sidhu said, "I will not rejoin the job. They (Punjab government) can take whatever action they want. I am not retired, and my resignation has been accepted by the central government."
"I will soon file my nomination and contest the elections," she said.
Earlier, the Central government had directed the state government to accept the voluntary retirement scheme chosen by Sidhu with immediate effect. On the other hand, the state had asked the IAS officer to immediately return to duty and said he cannot be treated as "retired or relieved from service". He was also accused of giving "false grounds" for taking retirement while engaged in political activities.
In a letter to the officer, the state personnel department said the three-month notice period for leaving the job has not been waived.
The 59-year-old 2011 batch IAS officer joined BJ along with her husband on April 11.
Bathinda seat has been a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) stronghold since 1996, except for the 1999 elections. Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal's wife and sitting MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal is once again in the fray in search of victory for the fourth consecutive time. Congress has declared Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu as its candidate, while the state's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded Gurmi Singh Khudian.
In 2019, Harsimrat Kaur defeated her nearest rival Amarinder Singh Raja Warin of Congress by 21,772 votes.
"I will soon file my nomination and contest the elections," she said.
Earlier, the Central government had directed the state government to accept the voluntary retirement scheme chosen by Sidhu with immediate effect. On the other hand, the state had asked the IAS officer to immediately return to duty and said he cannot be treated as "retired or relieved from service". He was also accused of giving "false grounds" for taking retirement while engaged in political activities.
In a letter to the officer, the state personnel department said the three-month notice period for leaving the job has not been waived.
The 59-year-old 2011 batch IAS officer joined BJ along with her husband on April 11.
Bathinda seat has been a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) stronghold since 1996, except for the 1999 elections. Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal's wife and sitting MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal is once again in the fray in search of victory for the fourth consecutive time. Congress has declared Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu as its candidate, while the state's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded Gurmi Singh Khudian.
In 2019, Harsimrat Kaur defeated her nearest rival Amarinder Singh Raja Warin of Congress by 21,772 votes.
