Tainted BDO transferred, BJP leader arrested for attack

The BDO of Marshaghai S K Pati, who was accused of illegally storing EVMs at his residence leading to violence in the coastal Kendrapara district, has been transferred even as the police arrested a BJP district president on charge of attacking him.
According to a notification issued by the Panchayati Raj Department, Pati was transfered to Narshinghapur Block from Kendrapara. Narshinghapur Block Development Officer (BDO) B P Acharya replaced Pati at Marshaghai.
Pati was assaulted by a mob in Kendrapara town after 28 pairs of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) were found in a government vehicle parked near his residence a day after the second phase of polls on April 17. The mob also ransacked his house.

Though the EVMs were unused, the district collector had recommended disciplinary action against Pati for not depositing them (machines) at the strongroom.
Chief Electoral Officer Mona Sharma, however, exonerated the BDO as she felt Pati had no "malafide" intention in keeping the unused EVMs with him.
The OAS officers' association of which Pati is a member, rallied behind the erring BDO and defended his action.

The association also threatened to boycott counting work on May 16 if the attackers were not rounded up within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested 14 persons including BJP's Kendrapara district president Duryodhan Sahu on charge of assaulting Pati.

Criticising the OAS association for defending an erring official, senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra said, "The district election officer-cum-DM of Kendrapara has already stated that Pati was at fault. How can an officers' body defend an erring official," Mohapatra said.