The Chief Electoral Officer here on Monday asked the Kandhamal district Collector to issue a show-cause notice to Health Minister and BJD leader Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak for violation of the Model Code of Conduct, which is in force for the by-election to the Kandhamal Parliamentary seat.
“We have directed the district Collector to issue show-cause notice to him (Nayak) for violation of poll code. We can take action only if we receive an unsatisfactory answer from him,” said State Joint Chief Electoral Officer Jyoti Prakash Dash. Dash admitted that Nayak had violated the model code.
Nayak had allegedly, on September 30, made a controversial statement that the BJD is in power in the State and the Government officials as well as police, who would be conducting the by-poll in Kandhamal, are working under the instructions of the party in power. Hence, BJD workers need not worry about anything and make sure that the party emerges victorious at any cost.
He made this statement at a meeting held at Kotagarh under the Balliguda Assembly constituency. Earlier, an FIR had been lodged at the Phulbani Town police station against Nayak by BJP district general secretary Debanarayan Pradhan for violating the model code of conduct by making such a statement in public.
The district Collector-cum-Returning Officer has also issued a show-cause notice to BJD Kandhamal candidate Pratyusha Rajeswari Singhfor allegedly violating the election code.