MCC Violation: Teacher Suspended, BDO Asked To Lodge FIR Against Sarpanch Candidate In Bolangir

Cracking the whip on violators of the model code of conduct (MCC) in the run up to the three-tier Panchayat polls in the district, Bolangir Collector Chanchal Rana directed the suspension of Taranisen Padhan, a teacher of Lukapada School under Puintala Block on Monday. 

Following the Collector’s direction, the District Education Officer (DEO) has put the teacher under suspension.  

Rana also directed the Puintala block development officer (BDO) to lodge FIRs against Sarpanch candidate Sushant Chhatriya and a few others in connection with the Sarpanch candidate auction incident which was reported from Bileisarada Panchayat. 

It is worth mentioning here that Tarinisen Padhan had shared a poster of his wife Lipika Padhan, a candidate contesting for Zilla Parishad member post from zone no-17 in Bolangir district, in his social media account. Afterwards, Padhan had pleaded ignorance. To avoid action, he had come out with an excuse that the photo was shared by his children. 

The second incident of Sarpanch post auction had come to the fore on January 17 when the nomination papers were being filed. The auction, seen as a mockery of democracy, was held in a village meeting, locally called as Grama Sabha, in Bileisarada village on January 14. The villagers of Bandanakata, Kasurpali and Bileisarada had organized the village meeting on the premises of the village Jagannath temple. There, Chhatriya had won the bid by pledging to donate Rs 44,000 for the development of the temple. 

After the alleged incidents of government employees, mostly teachers, campaigning for candidates came to the fore, the Opposition parties had raised a hue and cry.