Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday alleged that BJD’s Sambalpur Lok Sabha candidate Nalini Kanta Pradhan still holds two offices of profit and his candidature is liable to be rejected.
Speaking to the media, party spokesperson Lekhashree Samantsinghar said, “Scrutiny of Pradhan’s nomination papers clearly revealed that the former Works department secretary is currently holding two offices of profits. He is still the director of Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation and the Director of Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation Limited,” she said.
She also added that though he has resigned from the Works secretary post, he continues with two other posts. Further, there is no notification regarding his resignation from the post, she added.
“We have brought the certified copies from the Returning Officer which clarify speaks about the holding of these two offices of profit. Article 191A of the Indian Constitution clearly says that no member holding an office of profit can be elected to the Parliament or state assemblies,” she said
The BJP said that under such conditions, the returning officers have the right to reject their nominations. However, in this case the returning officer has reserved his decision for two days showing mala fide intension of the returning officer, the party added.
“We object to that. We will move the state election commission to highlight the misuse of government servants who are accepting such nominations bypassing the law. We demand his nomination be rejected and the culprits behind it punished,” she said.