BHUBANESWAR: Returning Officer for the by-poll to the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat and Collector N Thirumala Naik on Monday issued a showcause notice to Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak for violating model code of conduct while addressing an election meeting at Kotagarh on September 30.
In the notice, the Returning Officer has asked the Minister not to repeat such statements during electioneering, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Jyoti Prakash Dash told this paper.
The Minister has also been asked to give his version of the incident, Dash said.While addressing an election meeting at Kotagarh in Baliguda Assembly segment, Nayak had allegedly asked the BJD workers to ensure victory of party candidate Pratyusha Rajeswari without any fear as Government officials and police are working on the instructions of the State Government.
BJP district general secretary Debanarayan Pradhan had filed an FIR at Phulbani Town police station against the Minister for violating model code of conduct by making such utterances in a public meeting. The Minister, however, said he will reply to the showcause in time.