Returning Officer of Kalsi-Birendranagar ADC constituency removed

Amidst high-voltage Autonomous District Council (ADC) election process, the Sub divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Santirbazar under South Tripura district and Returning Officer (RO) of 26-Kalsi-Birendranagar ADC constituency, Sanjib Chakma has been removed and replaced by Additional DM of the district with immediate effect.

The Additional District Magistrate of South District, Shantiranjan Chakma, has been given the responsibility.

Sources said that on Tuesday last, when Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, on his way to another place for election campaigning, briefly stopped at the inspection post  Dak Bungalow of the Santir Bazar for rest.

But he did not get any VIP room there. There are two VIP rooms in that Dak Bungalow, where Tipra Matha supremo Pradyut Kishore Debbarma was already staying in one and the other room was already reserved for the observer appointed for the election. But till then the observer did not board the room. But there were other people in that room. Allegedly, even though the minister asked for a room for temporary rest, he was unable to stay there. After that, there were strong rumors that this administrative change took place in political and administrative circles.

It may be recalled here that during the election, the Returning Officer is fully subordinate to the Election Commission and his main responsibility is to conduct free, fair and transparent elections. He is not obliged to provide special facilities to any political person or public representative or arrange accommodation as per protocol, especially when the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force.