Dhananjay Mallik, the Presiding Officer at Booth No. 36 in Nuapada and a teacher at Khariar Raja A.T. High School, received immediate suspension on November 11 after violating voting secrecy during the Nuapada by-election.
The District Election Officer and Collector took action after CCTV footage showed Mallik assisting a voter in a way that compromised ballot confidentiality. Consequently, officials fixed his suspension headquarters at the District Education Office, Nuapada.
The breach occurred at Kuliabandha polling station, where Mallik allegedly cast a vote himself while pretending to help a voter. This misconduct triggered swift disciplinary measures, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to free and fair elections.
Meanwhile, polling across all 358 booths in the Nuapada Assembly constituency progressed smoothly. Mock polls concluded successfully, and officials promptly replaced three faulty Ballot Units and three Control Units. At Booth No. 76 in Mangorapalli, they resolved an EVM-related issue without delay.
By 9:00 AM, voter turnout reached 14.99%. Reports confirmed peaceful polling across both sensitive and general booths. The Chief Electoral Officer’s office continues to monitor the process closely, ensuring transparency and neutrality throughout the by-election.
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