Odisha: Dhamnagar NAC Executive Officer faces suspension over SIR irregularities

Bhubaneswar: The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha, has asked the Bhadrak district administration to suspend the Executive Officer (EO)-cum-Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of Dhamnagar Notified Area Council (NAC) over alleged irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Additional Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)-cum-Special Secretary to government, Sushanta Kumar Mishra, today wrote to Bhadrak Collector and District Election Officer (DEO) to take immediate necessary step for placing Santosh Kumar Nayak, the EO-cum-AERO of Dhamnagar NAC, under suspension as per the applicable rules.As per the letter, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has approved a proposal for suspension of the EO-cum-AERO of Dhamnagar on the allegations of unauthorized use of BLO credentials/OTPs and unauthorised submission/uploading of Form-7 applications during the SIR exercise.The ECI approved disciplinary action against the EO-cum-AERO of Dhamnagar after receiving a report regarding the alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise from the Eloctoral Registration Officer (ERO) of Dhamnagar Assembly constituency.   In the letter, the office of the CEO, Odisha, has asked the Bhadrak Collector to submit the full-fledged draft charge proposal against the EO-cum-AERO of Dhamnagar for initiation of disciplinary proceeding.