Probe case of ‘missing’ Kendrapara poll officials: BJP

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury
Bhubaneswar, April 18:

After senior Odisha BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra demanded a probe into the entire polling process in Mahakalpada constituency, the leader of the BJP legislature party Jaynarayan Mishra today urged the Election Commission to investigate the alleged dereliction of poll duty by a large number of officials in the Kendrapada district.

“It has come to our notice that the Collector, Kendrapara has issued Non Bailable Warrants against 109 personnel who skipped poll duty. The Collector had earlier issued 54 NBWs and later in the day, another 55 NBW’s. These officials were assigned polling duties in different areas including Mahakalpada. We apprehend that there was a malafide intention behind these officials not reporting for duty,” said Mishra in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) demanding an inquiry.

He said that en-masse desertion by these poll officials raises many doubts.

Referring to this morning’s incident in Mahakalpada, Mishra said, many EVM machines were kept at the residence of Marshaghai Block development Officer and this has given rise to suspicion that these may have been tampered with.

He also demanded that all the strong rooms where the EVM Machines have been stored be fitted with Close Circuit Cameras for a round the clock surveillance.