Negligence in Assam election: Presiding officer in Karimganj suspended during LS polls

The Presiding Officer at Nayadhar LP School in Karimganj has been suspended by the District Election Officer following a voting scandal. A video surfaced online showing a polling agent casting five votes on an EVM machine, a violation that the presiding officer failed to prevent. The incident, considered a serious breach of duty, has raised concerns about the integrity and secrecy of the voting process.

Mridul Yadav, the Returning Officer and District Election Officer of Karimganj, issued an official order announcing the suspension, citing gross negligence and dereliction of duty on the part of the Presiding Officer, Nazrul Haque Tapadar, who failed to enforce the rule against mobile phones in the polling station.

 Tapadar has been suspended from service with immediate effect under Assam Service Rules. Despite the suspension, Tapadar will remain based at the same location where he was posted, which is Karlingang.

Meanwhile, preparations for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections continue, with voting through postal ballots already underway in Kamrup Metropolitan district. District Commissioner and District Election Officer Sumit Sattavan informed that the process began on April 27 for specially-abled voters and elderly citizens above the age of 85 years, ensuring their democratic right to vote.