N’rangpur ZP chief poll declared void

The election of Bhagabati Bhotra as president of Nabarangpur Zilla Parishad was on Tuesday declared void by the District Court here.

District Judge Rajendra Panigrahi further directed the State Election Commission for re-election.

Bhagabati had contested the Zilla Parishad poll as a BJD candidate. Soon after Baby Majhi, a Zilla Parishad member, filed a case in the District Court, citing violation of secrecy of ballot.

The evidence reveals that the Election Officer allowed the political party agents to remain present during the first meeting of Zilla Parishad members and election for the post of President to whom the members of the respective parties showed their ballots before casting in the ballot box is not in accordance with the provision under Rule 51 of Zilla Parishad Election Rules, 1994, the court said. The Orissa High Court had quashed the amendment (51A) in Sukhalal Munda Vs State of Odisha case on March 8, 2017.