HC to hear on BJD’s dubious poll funding row today

Cuttack: Amid the ongoing war of words over alleged discrepancies in poll expenses of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and BJD, the Orissa High Court will hear on the recall petition filed by Ganjam Collector in connection with the issue today.

Earlier, a hearing was slated to be held on July 27 but the court adjourned it to July 31. All the parties including the counsel for petitioner activist Subash Mohapatra, representative counsel for Election Commission (EC) and public prosecutor will be presenting their arguments.

Based on a PIL by Odisha native Subash Mohapatra alleging gross discrepancies in sworn statements on poll expenses of Patnaik and his party the court had issued notice to the Election Commission on July 18 and asked it to submit finding reports.

Later on July 24 Ganjam Collector filed a recall petition seeking the court to dismiss the writ petition as the petitioner was not a resident of the concerned constituency when the 'alleged discrepancies had occurred'.

Also since all the details related to polls are destroyed after one year. Therefore, asking for the details after two years of completion of the elections is not acceptable, the recall petition said.