Baripada: Upset over the rejection of her joining report as Deputy Collector of Mayurbhanj district, Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer Mamtaj Moharana today staged a peaceful dharna in front of the Collectorate in Baripada.

Moharana’s protest followed an official notification issued on December 22 by the Mayubhanj Collectorate, which stated her joining report dated December 15, 2025, had not been accepted by the District Collector and Magistrate, Hema Kanta Say. The notification cited memo numbers of two orders but did not specify the reasons for rejecting her joining report.

Demanding clarity and justice, the OAS officer said the move raised serious concerns about administrative transparency. “After receiving my transfer order, I reported to join duty, but my joining report was rejected without any explanation. This is not merely an issue of transfer; it is about transparency and the rights of an officer,” she told the media.

The notification, undersigned by the Additional District Magistrate, Mayurbhanj, also directed Moharana to report to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department for further instructions.

When contacted for a response, senior officials of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department said the matter was under review and declined to offer further details.