Guwahati, 30th April: In a significant development, the Presiding Officer at Nayadhar LP School has been suspended by the District Election Officer of Karimganj district following a voting scandal. The suspension comes in the wake of a disturbing video that surfaced online, showing a polling agent casting five votes on an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), a violation that should have been prevented by the presiding officer.
The suspension was announced through an official order issued by Mridul Yadav, the Returning Officer cum District Election Officer of Karimganj. The order cited a serious lapse of duty on the part of the presiding officer, who failed to enforce the rule prohibiting mobile phones within the polling station, thereby allowing the filming of the voting process.
Quoting the Hand Book for Presiding Officer, 2023, the order emphasized that no cellphone, smartwatch, or cordless phone is permitted inside the polling station. It further highlighted the duty of the presiding officer to ensure compliance with this rule to maintain the sanctity and secrecy of the electoral process.
The official order clarified that the suspension was imposed under Rule 6(1)(A) of the Assam Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, due to the gross negligence and dereliction of duty by Shri Nazrul Haque Tapadar, the Librarian serving as the Presiding Officer.
During the period of suspension, the headquarters of Shri Nazrul Haque Tapadar, Librarian, will remain the same as his place of posting in Karlingang. The suspension underscores the electoral authorities’ commitment to upholding the integrity and fairness of the electoral process, ensuring strict adherence to established protocols and regulations.