Jharsuguda Bypoll In Odisha: BJP Alleges Misuse Of Police By BJD, Petitions CEO

Bhubaneswar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday petitioned Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) seeking immediate steps to send transferred police officials out of Jharsuguda in view of the May 10 Assembly bypoll.

A delegation of BJP led by former state party president Samir Mohanty visited the office of the CEO in Bhubaneswar and submitted a memorandum seeking steps to ensure free and fair voting for the by-election in Jharsuguda.

Noting that the final list of candidates in the fray for the bypoll has already been published, the BJP delegation said transfer order had been issued on March 18 for ten police officials posted in Jharsuguda for a long period of time.

However, these police officials have not yet been relieved though 37 days have elapsed since their transfer order was issued, the BJP leaders claimed, adding that these officials are seen campaigning for the ruling BJD for the coming by-election.

Claiming that the ruling BJD is in the habit of misusing police personnel for its electoral gains, the BJP leaders the police officials who have been transferred should not be allowed to remain within the jurisdiction of Jharsuguda Assembly cosntituency.

Stating that free and fair polling will not be possible in Jharsuguda unless these transferred police officials leave the constituency, they demanded immediate steps to ensure that these officials are sent out of the Assembly constituency.