An official on poll duty died early on Wednesday morning as he fell from a lorry carrying polling officials to a polling station in the Rajkanika police station jurisdiction in Kendrapada district.
The deceased, Pitambar Rout, second polling officer of booth no-24 in Sapalanga village, 65 km from here, died on the spot as he sustained critical head injury, officials said. Kendrapada Collector Nitin Bhanudas Jawale said the administration has conveyed its deep condolences to the bereaved family. Compensation would be paid to members of his family as per the Election Commission of India guidelines, he added.
The lorry carrying the poll officials was overcrowded, said sources.Government employees deployed on poll duty alleged gross mismanagement by the authorities in the dispatch of polling parties to the polling stations.
“We reported for poll duty at 10 am yesterday. We waited for hours together. We were asked to leave for the polling station at midnight hours and had to go without dinner. It was a nightmarish experience,” remarked an employee on poll duty.