Chandigarh, Dec. 12 -- Former Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police (SSP), Ravjot Kaur Grewal, who was suspended by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the assembly bypoll, has been formally served a chargesheet on grounds of 'biased conduct', people in the know of the matter said. "Grewal has been given a month to submit her reply to the charges. The chargesheet marks the next step in the disciplinary proceedings against the officer," a senior home department functionary, privy to the development, said An official said that the allegations relate to her professional conduct during the bypoll process. "The detailed specifics have not been made public as the matter is under departmental examination," he added, pleading anonymity. The disciplinary action follows an internal inquiry initiated after the ECI's decision to suspend Grewal ahead of the polling. Grewal, a 2015-batch IPS officer, was suspended on November 8, three days before the byelection, after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal met the EC-appointed observer and submitted a written complaint of misuse of power by the SSP to allegedly help the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). SAD leaders also met the chief electoral officer and submitted a memorandum in which they claimed that the party workers and leaders from Tarn Taran had been "forcibly detained" by police officials ahead of the bypoll. The voting for the bypoll was held on November 11, and the result were announced on November 14 with AAP candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu defeating his nearest rival and SAD nominee Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa by 12,091 votes. An official attributed the month-long delay to chief minister Bhagwant Mann's foreign tour. Mann, who also holds a home portfolio, had been on an official tour of Japan and South Korea. "Since CM Bhagwant Mann has returned from his official tour, the home department officials are likely to take up the issue with him for final consultations," the senior government functionary added. The officials added that the home department will evaluate Grewal's response before deciding on further action, which may include exoneration, penalty, or additional inquiry. "It is learnt that while the state government is keen to reinstate Grewal and post her again as SSP, it could take a few days as the state has to take ECI on board," the official added. According to a 2023 ECI directive sent to all state chief secretaries, it will be mandatory for the disciplinary authority to consult with the ECI before reinstating an individual....