Five poll officials suspended for vitiating poll process in West Tripura
Agartala, : Three Presiding Officers and two Micro Observers of West Tripura parliamentary constituency have been suspended last night on the charge of willful insubordination and dereliction of duty on the poll day on April 11 last.
The Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) of Bishalgarh of the constituency has issued suspension order under Representation of Peoples Act 1951 and requested the concerned authorities to execute the direction.
According to order, professor of Botany in Tripura University Sangram Sinha and Executive Engineer (Production) of ONGC Tripura asset Bhasan Chandra Das, who had been engaged as Micro Observers, did not mention the incident of poll interruption or obstruction or poll vitiation in their reports, which was termed as willful negligence of election duties.
As per the guidelines laid down by ECI, it is reiterated if Micro Observers feel that the poll is being vitiated for any reason, he will immediately report it to general observer through whatever means of communication available with him.
However, Prof Sangram Sinha who was posted as Micro Observer at a polling booth in Kamalasagar assembly segment and Bhasan Chandra Das at a polling station in Charilam assembly segment neither informed the general observer about the booth capturing and vitiation of the poll process nor the matters were highlighted in their feedback reports.
Similarly, three presiding officers,who are teachers by profession – Promod Chandra Das of Bishramganj HS School, Goutam Debnath of Madhupur HS School and Giridhari Das of Purba Gokulnagar HS School were suspended on the charge of being involved in abetting booth capturing and promoting corrupt practices in election.
“The particular presiding officers were found aiding or conniving in such activities resulting in the furtherance of the prospect of the election of a particular candidate. During scrutiny of presiding officers diary and other documents and video recordings, manifestations of some persons directly vitiating the poll process were predominantly apparent from the footage,” the order read.
(UNI)