Bhubaneswar: City based Sachetan Nagarika Mancha (SNM) Thursday wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state, requesting to transfer or disengage retired officers, currently engaged in the office of the Chief Minister and other public offices of the state, to ensure free, fair and peaceful conduct of general elections. In the letter, SNM secretary BC Sahoo said, “With due respect, I am to bring to your kind notice that, in the state government, many officers are working in the behest of ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party line since long for more than eight years and have been re-engaged in the same post after their retirement for mobilising junior officers as well as the administration. They are freely working for ruling BJD in state and mobilising funds for the party by utilising their power and positions in service,” he added.
“In order to ensure free, fair and peaceful conduct of elections, the retired officers who were connected or likely to be connected with the conduct of elections directly or indirectly in their supervisory capacity should not be allowed to continue in present place of posting after the retirement of service,” Sahoo said.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP
