The BJP has virtually turned the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) as the real battlefield for the by-election to the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency. Ever since Suryabansi Suraj filed his nomination on October 11, the saffron party has not spared a day to register a complaint against the administration, election machinery and the ruling BJD. Every action of the CEO is seen with suspicion. It all began when two block development officers of Dhamnagar and Tihidi were transferred just after the announcement of the bypoll on the ground that they have completed more than three years in their places of posting.
The CEO’s clarification that ‘not transferring them would amount to violation of code of conduct’ did not satisfy the BJP. Then the party turned the heat against the CEO for being partisan and took the matter to the Election Commission. Every time the BJP visited the CEO office with its complaints, the BJD registered counter complaints immediately. What is notable that the CEO received all complaints including those against him also with a smiling face.