Code flout: Principal, 2 teachers face suspension in Padampur

BHUBANESWAR: A college principal and two teachers face suspension in bypoll-bound Padampur for attending a political meeting chaired by higher education minister Rohit Pujari on Saturday in violation of the model code following a complaint lodged by the BJP with the chief electoral officer (CEO).
The three facing action on the recommendation of poll authorities are Mandosil Degree College principal Binaya Ranjan Panda; Krushna Mohan Panda, a reader in history at Anchal College Padampur and Sudhir Kumar Ratha, a lecturer in political science at Dava Higher Secondary School.
Krushna Mohan, who is due to retire in June 2023, said he did not attend the meeting chaired by the minister.
I had just greeted him as a courtesy since I had come across him," he said. While Sudhir declined to comment, Binaya did not respond to phone calls.
Bargarh district collector Monisha Banerjee, who is also the district election officer, recommended "disciplinary action as deemed proper" and "suspension" of the trio.
"During suspension period, the three will be placed outside Padampur assembly seat," Monisha wrote in her recommendation. Action has been suggested under provisions 20.3.3 and 20.3.4 of the manual on model code of conduct. Under 20.3.3, no official of any rank in the district where byelection is being held shall be called to attend a meeting by any minister anywhere. While 20.3.4 states any official who meets a minister on his private visit to the constituency where elections are being held shall be guilty of misconduct under the service rules.