SEC transfers BDO for fraudulent withdrawal of 2 candidates

Odisha State Election Commission (SEC) has asked the Kendrapara district collector to immediately transfer Pattamundai BDO for "fraudulent" withdrawal of nominations of two women candidates in the three-tier panchayat polls to be held next month.
Pattamundai BDO Prashant Rout has been accused of working at the behest of BJD's Kendrapara MLA so that the latter's wife get elected uncontested.
Rout has "fraudulently" withdrawn candidature of the two women who filed nomination papers for the post of Panchayat Samiti Members of Penthapal gram panchayat.
"The SEC had sought a report from Kendrapara Collector and poll observer on the allegations of withdrawal of nominations from Pattamundai block. The Commission had sought additional information from the collector after receipt of the report," SEC secretary Rabinda Nath Sahu said.

The panchayati raj department has been asked to immediately transfer Pattamundai BDO, Sahu said.
The SEC also directed the Kendrapara collector to hand over the block's charge to local Tehsildar.

The Commission's direction came in wake of allegations made by the two candidates, Pramila Mallick and Gayatri Sethy, who claimed that suddenly they found their names deleted from the candidates list.
Congress had alleged that Kendrapara BJD MLA Kishore Tarai in connivance with Pattamundai BDO managed to get his wife Babita Tarai elected unopposed as panchayat samiti member from Penthapala panchayat by fraudulently withdrawing the nominations of the two other candidates on the last day of withdrawal of nominations.

They have also lodged written complaints against the MLA and the BDO with the police in this connection.
Congress leader and former minister Ganeswar Behera said that his party's allegation has been proved that the BDO had fraudulently withdrew names of two women from the elections without their knowledge. Behera also demanded legal action against the BJD MLA Tarai.