As per the announcement, the voting in the assembly seat will be held on December 5, 2022. Apart from Padampur, the ECI also announced schedule for four other assembly constituencies including one each in Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and one Parliamentary Constituency of Uttar Pradesh.
The Padampur constituency seat had fallen vacant following the death of veteran leader and five-time legislator Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3, 2022. Bariha, who was undergoing treatment at the hospital, passed away at the age of 65.
Bariha was elected to Odisha Assembly twice on Janata Dal ticket between 1990 and 2000. He again won the Padampur Assembly seat in 2004 and 2009 from BJD ticket and also served as a minister in the ruling party.
Schedule for Bye-election in 5 (Five) Assembly Constituencies, 1(one) each in Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and 1(one) Parliamentary Constituency of Uttar Pradesh – date of poll 5th December 2022https://t.co/jGNDFXXheL
— Spokesperson ECI (@SpokespersonECI) November 5, 2022
Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: November 10, 2022
Last Date of Nominations: November 17, 2022
Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: November 18, 2022
Last Date for Withdrawal of candidatures: November 21, 2022
Date of Poll: December 5, 2022
Date of Counting: December 8, 2022
Date before which election shall be completed: December 10, 2022
(Reported by Harihar Chand)
According to reports, around 50 bags of paddy have been crushed by the jumbos who strayed into the market yard area from the nearby forest in the wee hours today.
The farmers alleged that around 30-35 elephants have been frequently straying into the human settlements.
"All of a sudden a herd of elephants entered the mandi and started damaging the paddy stacks. Later, with the help of locals we chased them away but we have suffered heavy loss" said a farmer Deepti Podh.
After getting information about the incident, a team of forest officials reached the spot to take stock of the situation.
Earlier, the pachyderms had damaged crops in several acres of land in Dubulabahal, Dhauramunda, Pandaripani and Ichapali villages near Bargarh.
According to sources, the accused Dilip Bhoi returned home in an inebriated condition and had an altercation with his father Asaram Bhoi over some family matters. Subsequently, Dilip turned violent and allegedly hit Asaram with a wooden stick following which Asaram died on the spot.
After getting information about the incident, Jagdalpur police rushed to the spot and arrested the accused.
While police have sent the body for post-mortem, further investigation into the incident is currently underway.
The farmer body has been on strike since Monday demanding expedition of the proposed mega irrigation project over Ong river.
"All those who complained of dehydration have been administered saline and their condition is stated to be stable," informed Padampur Sub-Collector Daulat Chandrakar.
Meanwhile, the agitating farmers before the Padampur Sub-Collectorate, continued their indefinite strike demanding fulfilment of their charter of demands, including insurance in fisheries sector, farm loan waiver, agricultural input subsidy, pension for farmers and drinking water supply to every household.
"My father is a farmer and I can understand the problems of a farmer. I want the completion of the irrigation project over Ong river at the earliest so that villagers in the area are ensured drinking water supply," said an agitator.
On the other hand, a different group of farmers and families of Padmapur sub-division who are opposing the project, have written to President Ramnath Kovind, seeking permission for euthanasia.
The villagers claimed that over 6,288 families of 32 mouzas will be displaced if the project is commissioned.
Meanwhile, the district administration is trying to hold talks with both groups and resolve the impasse.
Briefing mediapersons on premises of the Assembly, Purohit said, "I have presented the evidence on illegal sand mining and involvement of the Paikmal Tehsildar. I hope that the Revenue Minister and the State government will take appropriate action."
In his reaction, Mohanty said, "The video clearly shows the Tehsildar is taking bribe. The department would soon recommend the Chief Minister to take strict action against Janakinath."
In the video it is shown that Janakinath is taking bribe from sand smugglers to facilitate illegal sand mining.
DGP RP Sharma stated Panda was transferred as per the directive of the Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar.
Jharsuguda SDRPO Khirasagar Naik has been appointed Padampur SDPO, he added.
Earlier, on Monday, a delegation of BJP led by party vice president Sameer Mohanty had met the Chief Electoral officer and demanded removal of Panda.
The BJP delegation had accused him of working for the ruling party in the bypoll-bound Bijepur violating the Model Code of Conduct.
Two weeks back the Odisha government had appointed Yamini Sarangi as the new Bargarh Collector and Jai Narayan Pankaj as SP.
It is pertinent to mention here that the district administration began rabi paddy procurement on May 30 and had set deadline of June 25 for completion of the entire process.
“We brought paddy to the mandi for procurement. But all the paddy stocks got wet in the rain. Besides, there is no guarantee that procurement will be completed soon,” said K. Laxman Rao, a farmer.
Expressing concerns, another farmer Harihar said, “My paddy stocks have been lying in the yard since 20 days. In every 3-4 days, I am visiting the yard with the hope that the stock will be lifted.”
As per reports, around 52.24 lakh quintals of paddy have been procured till date in the district whereas 3.5 lakh quintals of paddy are lying in the yards unattended. However, the administration has assured farmers that paddy stock which has already arrived in the yards including the wet ones will be procured without any issue.
“This year, we have procured around 52.24 lakh quintals till date, but 3.5 lakh quintals paddy is yet to be lifted from the mandis. The administration had procured around 48 lakh quintal paddy last year,” said Indramani Tripathy, Bargarh Collector.
The administration will complete the procurement process in the next three days. “We will ensure that farmers do not suffer and all the paddy stock will be procured,” the Collector added.
Unidentified miscreants reportedly looted valuables worth lakhs of rupees along with cash from Laxminarayan Temple. Later, they also tried to rob the Durga Temple and Siva Temple situated in the town.
Sources said that robbers entered the Laxminarayan Temple by breaking open the lock of the entrance door and decamped with two silver crowns, three golden tulsi trees and cash stashed inside the donation box of the temple.
Thereafter, they also tried to loot the Durga Temple. However, they failed in their attempt as they could not break open the door of the shrine.
The looters though managed to enter the Siva Temple in the night but they could not decamp with cash as the donation box of the temple was empty. The temple authorities had removed the cash from the donation box earlier after receiving huge amount of donations on the occasion of Shravan Somvar.
The incidents came to light when the priests went to the temples to conduct the daily morning rituals. They immediately informed the matter to the temple authorities. Police complaints were also lodged in connection with the incidents.
The series of incidents have raised many eyebrows about the security of the temples in the area.
Meanwhile, based on the complaints of the temple priests, police have started investigation into the incidents. They are verifying the footages of the CCTVs installed in and around the temples to identify the miscreants.
The imposter, identified as Pritviraj, had allegedly extorted Rs 23,000 from the tractor owner in May this year by introducing himself as the Tehsildar of Jharabandha.
Later, the tractor owner lodged a complaint with Jagdalpur police in this connection.
Pradeep Sahu, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Padampur said, "Basing on the complaint lodged by the tractor owner, we raided the hide-out of the accused and arrested him."
During the raid, a country-made pistol was also recovered from his possession, added Sahu.