Chandigarh, Jan 21 (IANS) R.S. Gill will take over as the new director general of police (DGP) of Punjab Monday.

Gill, who is the director of the Punjab police academy at Phillaur near Ludhiana, replaces S.S. Virk, who was ordered by the Election Commission (EC) to be removed from all poll-related work in the state.

A total of 117 assembly seats and the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat go to polls Feb 13.

The EC had Friday night ordered that Virk be taken off from poll duties after the main opposition Shiromani Akali Dal complained that Virk and his family had availed concessions of over Rs.2.5 billion (Rs.250 crore) from the state government for setting up a mega project near state capital Chandigarh, housing a convention centre, hotel-cum-resort and multiplexes.

The clearance of the project came just 10 days before the election notification in Punjab.

Akali leader Sukhbir Badal alleged that Virk was a 'Congress agent' and had been rewarded with Rs.2.5 billion to help the ruling Congress in the forthcoming polls.

Virk, a Maharashtra cadre Indian Police Service officer, is said to have close relations with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.