RO rejects BJP’s claims, calls Saradha’s candidature valid
Rourkela: High drama unfolded at the office of the Returning Officer (RO) for the prestigious Rourkela Assembly constituency (AC) during the scrutiny of nomination papers, when the BJP rejected the candidature of BJD candidate and minister Sarada Prasad Naik on the grounds of false declaration. demanded. Him. However, at the end of the investigation Nayak’s candidature was found to be valid.
Representing veteran BJP candidate Dilip Ray, senior Orissa High Court lawyer Pitambara Acharya appeared before RO and Panposh sub-collector Bijay Nayak on Saturday with a petition.
Acharya said that he has appealed to cancel Nayak’s nomination, accusing him of hiding information in the prescribed Form 26. Acharya claimed to have two pending criminal cases against Nayak, while Nayak mentioned only one case. Acharya said, “One of the criminal cases in which charges have been framed and the next hearing is on May 9 in the Panposh SDJM court has not been mentioned in the affidavit submitted by Nayak. This is a valid ground for canceling Nayak’s candidature and a precedent for the court to cancel the elections of two election winners due to submission of false affidavits.
Acharya said Nayak hid information about his shares in joint ownership of immovable properties, claiming that Nayak had shown ownership of one landed property in Sankilo, his native place in Cuttack district, but hid information about 29 other plots. Was. “Land record information obtained from the Bhulekh land records web portal of the Odisha government has been provided to the RO,” Acharya said.
Acharya further said, citing the ECI guidelines and the relevant judgment of the Supreme Court of India, we appeal to the RO to use his judicial discretion and cancel Nayak’s nomination and register a criminal case against him.
Incidentally, when Acharya and others were filing their petition, BJD’s Rourkela unit vice-president and election convenor Sudam Das created a ruckus, objecting to Acharya’s entry into the RO’s office during the scrutiny of papers. Das, a lawyer practicing in Rourkela court, said only candidates or authorized agents are allowed.
BJD spokesperson Jayant Mishra said in a statement that the BJP conspired to get Nayak’s nomination canceled out of fear of defeat but failed, adding that the voters of Rourkela would give a befitting reply to the BJP.
Meanwhile, the RO confirmed to this newspaper that the BJP’s petition has been rejected and Nayak’s nomination is valid after scrutiny.
