Bhubaneswar: In a crackdown against polling officials in Berhampore Lok Sabha seat, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed police to arrest two for "serious dereliction of duty" on Monday.
The presiding officers of booth numbers 27 and 163 in Chatrapur assembly segment of Ganjam district have been both suspended and ordered arrest. The Ganjam collector has also been informed in this regard.
Along with this, one official was suspended while earlier in the day, two others were put under suspension on same ground.
Odisha Chief Election Officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said, "We have informed the Ganjam collector about our decision to arrest the two polling officials for serious dereliction of duty."
Dhal said that presiding officer of polling booth number 193 in Gopalpur assembly constituency was put under suspension later in the day. Earlier, the CEO had suspended one polling official in Narla assembly constituency in Kalahandi district and another in Chikiti assembly seat in Ganjam district.
Till now, five polling officials have been suspended over misconduct and negligence of duty during elections among whom two are set to be arrested, ECI officials said.
Voting in Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituencies began at 7 am. The entire poll process has been monitored from webcasting room.
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