Odisha officer shifted over post-poll goof up

An administrative officer was transferred from Odisha's Kendrapada district after protests against him over an alleged post-poll goof up in the region, an official said on Wednesday.

State Panchayati Raj Department Secretary DK Singh said SK Pati, the block development officer of Marsaghai, has been transferred to Narasinghapur in Cuttack district. "We have transferred him based on our administrative need," Singh told IANS.

A mob had assaulted and manhandled Pati after they found 28 pairs of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) kept in a government vehicle parked near his residence in the district headquarters town of Kendrapada April 18, a day after balloting for assembly and Lok Sabha was held in the area. The mob had also ransacked his house demanding action against him. The election officials had said the EVMs were unused ones and kept for use when any EVM turned dysfunctional.

Although election officials said they did not find find any malafide intention behind it, the government was under criticism from the opposition parties.

Simultaneous elections for 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats in the state were held in two phases April 10 and April 17. Polling in Kendrapada district was held April 17.