AGARTALA, May 1 � Presiding Officer of a polling booth at Dwajanagar Anganwadi Centre in Bishalgarh subdivision in Tripura faces either suspension or disciplinary action for his role in an alleged malpractice in conducting voting on April 7.
Based on a specific complaint, the Election Commission has served a show cause notice to the Presiding Officer of the polling booth last week. After receiving the reply on the show cause notice, the poll panel has asked the School Education department to take disciplinary action against the presiding officer Haripada Sarkar, a teacher by profession for his �misconduct� in the polling process.
When contacted, a senior officer of the department said, �We have received a letter from the EC seeking disciplinary action against the teacher (Presiding Officer) on Tuesday. We will take an appropriate step after exploring all options and that must be as per the existing law�.
Sources claimed, the department is going to take disciplinary action against the teacher since suspension is a temporary measure. �Disciplinary action could be taken without putting a government employee under suspension.
According to legal experts, after suspension of a government employee/ official on ground of alleged misconduct, the department will have to submit a charge-sheet against him/her within three months to pave the way for disposal of the case or else the suspension order will have to be revoked.
Side by side, the police have already initiated separate probe against the Presiding Officer after the ARO filed an FIR against him on the charge of negligence in performing government duty in conducting poll.
The alleged malpractice � allowing an election agent to enter the voting area to assist voters occurred at the poling booth on April 7. The polling booth falls under West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency.
