Apprehending widespread protests and violence over the alleged rigging during the April 17 polls, the Kendrapada district administration on Sunday extended prohibitory orders till Monday.
District Collector Nitin Bhanudas Jawale said the 144 of CrPC was extended as a precautionary measure to ensure no breach of law takes place in the district.
Reports said the administration extended the prohibitory order fearing that activists of the political parties might resort to further violent protests in the district.
“There is a growing feeling among the people across the district that the ruling BJD in Mahakalpada resorted to a number of unfair means to defeat the popular leader and BJP candidate for Mahakalpada Bijay Mohapatra with the support of key Government officials including the police,” a local lawyer said.
Notably, tension mounted at Marshaghai under Mahakalapada Assembly constituency after 28 EVMs were seized from a four-wheeler parked in front of the official residence of the Block Development Officer (BDO) SK Pati on Friday.
The BDO was assaulted in his official quarters by Congress and BJP workers who alleged that he had illegally kept the EVMs with the intention of tampering those. More than 15 BJP workers were injured when BSF personnel resorted to lathicharge to disperse them. The BJP workers had gheraoed the Circuit House in the evening also.
Meanwhile, police have launched a manhunt to nab the trouble-makers who beat up a BDO and vandalised his house after EVMs were found stocked in a vehicle parked in front of his official residence here.
Though tension continues to prevail in some areas of politically-sensitive Ali and Patkura and Mahakalpada Assembly constituency areas, situation is quite normal in most of the localities that went to polls on 17 April.
Meanwhile, many sections of people have expressed resentments over the promulgation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC in the district.
The district administration’s move to clamp prohibitory order is an effort to cover up its ‘ineptitude and misdeeds’ and suppress the public outrage over ‘poll-related malpractices’, said a lawyer of the district.