PATNA: The axe has finally fallen on a Block Development Officer (BDO) for sharing his resignation letter on social media, in which he accused his immediate senior of harassment during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Hari Om Sharan, who serves as the BDO of Barsoi block in Katihar district, has been suspended with immediate effect. Departmental proceedings have also been recommended against him.
Confirming the disciplinary action, Katihar District Magistrate Manesh Kumar Meena said on Wednesday that BDO Hari Om Sharan’s reply to the show-cause notice served on him earlier was found unsatisfactory. “Hence, he has been put under suspension,” he added.
District Magistrate Meena said that the BDO would also face departmental proceedings for posting his personal grievances against his senior on social media platforms. The DM clarified that Sharan had never formally submitted his resignation letter to the office.
Meena further stated that it came to his notice that the BDO assumed duty after tendering an apology for his misconduct towards his senior, Dixit Shwetam, who is posted as Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO). “The action has been taken for conduct unbecoming of a public servant,” he said.
The BDO had submitted a five-page resignation letter addressed to District Magistrate Manesh Kumar Meena, alleging harassment by the SDO Dixit Shwetam during the SIR work under his jurisdiction.
Sharan claimed that he was touring 10-12 panchayats every day for the SIR work, even while suffering from backache, and also inspected digitisation camps and carried out other related tasks.
He alleged that despite his efforts, the SDO kept insulting him in the presence of subordinates and other employees, even using abusive language and accusing him of not taking interest in the SIR work. “SDO also threatened me to complain to the district magistrate and the Election Commission for not performing the SIR work properly,” he alleged.
The BDO further claimed that the app developed for the SIR work had been working very slowly for several days, and the work was affected by internet interruptions in the area, yet the SDO held him responsible. “I have no option but to resign from my post under such circumstances,” he said.
Refuting all allegations levelled against him, SDO Dixit Shwetam said the accusations revealed a perverted mentality in someone who considered being asked to do his work as mental harassment.
He said the BDO was using his backache as an excuse to rest and spend time playing the harmonium and singing at home. “There is so much workload during the ongoing voter revision exercise, but still the BDO does not work,” he added.
Shwetam claimed that the BDO was doing all SIR-related work from his house while the uploading of enumeration forms was ongoing in all 29 panchayats, and asserted that Sharan had not visited any of these panchayats.
Meanwhile, in Gaya, a Booth Level Officer (BLO) named Gaurishanker was suspended after allegedly demanding money from eligible electors in exchange for providing them verification forms. Shanker was assigned work under Manpur block in the district.
Manpur Block BDO Ved Prakash said an FIR had also been registered against the BLO concerned. “The action against the BLO has been initiated after an audio of his conversation with an elector went viral on social media,” he revealed.
He added that the one-day salary of 35 BLOs and 26 BLAs engaged in supervision of the SIR of electoral rolls in Manpur block had been withheld due to slackness.
In addition, disciplinary action has also been initiated against BLO Anjali Rani of Paliganj in rural Patna. Earlier, five BLOs were suspended for dereliction of duty in Begusarai district.