BHUBANESWAR: After challenging the appointment of former bureaucrat Naba Kumar Nayak as the State Election Commissioner in Orissa High Court, the State BJP on Wednesday urged Governor SC Jamir for the dismissal of State poll panel chief.Accusing the ruling BJD of planning to take undue advantage from the new State Election Commissioner during elections to the urban local bodies, BJP in a memorandum to the Governor said Nayak had been given several post-retirement benefits before this new assignment.
After his retirement from government job on March 31, 2014, Nayak was rehabilitated in several key positions like additional Chief Electoral Officer, chairman of Odisha Staff Selection Commission and officer on special duty in the Planning and Convergence department. He has been given new assignment with the understanding to show undue favour to the ruling party, BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya told reporters.
Though the tenure of the Commissioner of State poll panel is five years or up to 65 years, which ever is earlier, Nayak will be in the post for one year till March 2019 when he will turn 65.Stating that all the previous five SECs of the State were in the rank of Chief Secretaries, the BJP said Nayak who was promoted to IAS had not even held a post of Commissioner in the State Government as he retired in the rank of an Additional Secretary.The status of the State Election Commission under Article 243K of the Constitution is same as that of the Election Commission of India, it argued.
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