No-confidence motion against Rayagada Municipality vice-chairperson put on hold

The result of a no-confidence motion previously brought against Rayagada Municipality vice-chairperson, Subhra Rani Panda, was officially withheld on Thursday following an order from the Orissa High Court.

Also Read: Rayagada Municipality’s vice chairperson faces ‘no confidence’ heat

The motion was tabled today with participation from 21 of the 24 municipal councillors. The voting process was completed within the scheduled time, but the counting of votes was stopped midway due to a legal intervention.

According to official sources, the High Court’s government advocate contacted Rayagada Sub-Collector and Election Officer Ramesh Chandra Jena over telephone, instructing the suspension of the vote count as per court directions.

Following the court directive, the ballot box was sealed and shifted to the district treasury for safekeeping. Until further orders, the outcome of the motion will remain pending.

The no-confidence move against vice-chairperson Panda had drawn significant attention in the district, and the latest developments have added a legal twist to the political drama within the civic body.

“We had moved a ‘no confidence’ motion against the VC (vice-chairpersons) and the voting had been scheduled for today, and we all have cast our votes peacefully,” the councillor of Ward No. 16, Samita Padhy, stated.

“However, during the counting of votes, Rayagada Sub-Collector told us that he had received information from the court over phone and that counting would be withheld. Results of the voting will not be declared. The counting will be carried out on a later date, acting upon further orders from the High Court,” Samita Padhy expressed.

“We are 20 councillors, all of whom have voted against the VC,” Samita Padhy claimed.

No comments were received from the civic body vice-chairperson in this regard.