Kendrapara: Participating in an election meeting despite holding government posts proved costly for two officials as the State Election Commissioner (SEC) Tuesday directed for suspension of the duo from their services.
The two officials were identified as Bikash Das, principal of Tarini College at Jaichandrapur under Mahakalapara block in Kendrapara district, and Salipur SDPO Prasant Majhi in Cuttack district.
SEC Aditya Prasad Padhi has directed the state School and Mass Education department and the Director General of Police (DGP) to take action against the two officials.
The officials were accused of attending an election meeting organised on the college premises and later participating in a feast in violation of Covid norms.
The matter came to the light after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
On being informed, Kendrapara Collector Amrit Ruturaj directed the Mahakalapara tehsildar and Marshaghai police IIC to conduct a probe into the charges and submit a report to him, Monday.
The probe report was later, submitted before the SEC.
When contacted, sub-collector Niranjan Behera said that some persons had organised an election meeting and feast on the college precincts which was attended by the two senior officials.
However, the order of the SEC is yet to reach the district administration. Behera assured of action against the principal after the SEC order reaches the district administration.
PNN
