High Court summons Presiding Officer, BDO & SDO of Barjora

MP | 3 Aug 2023 | Kolkata: Calcutta High Court has summoned the Block Development Officer (BDO) and Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Barjora in Bankura, along with the Presiding Officer on August 8 in the case where ballot papers are learnt to have been removed from the strong room in a bid to defeat an opposition candidate. 

It is learnt that the petitioner, Shyamali Roy, a CPI(M) candidate, alleged that the ballot papers that were found from the jungle adjacent to the strong room were in favour of her. Her counsel, Firdous Shamim, submitted to the court that as many as 248 stamped ballot papers were recovered from the adjacent forest. 

The incident took place at Godardihi. Local people are said to have found these papers. The petitioner’s counsel has also pointed out that these papers appeared to have been sealed and signed by the Presiding Officer. 

The court, for the purpose of ascertaining the genuinity of the ballot papers produced in the court, directed the concerned Sub-Divisional Officer, Block Development Officer, and the Presiding Officer to appear in court personally on August 8, 2023. 

The court also took into its record the report filed by the BDO, Barjora Block, Bankura signed on July 26. 

The state’s counsel is learnt to have argued that there was no complaint lodged over the missing ballot papers and expressed surprise over the recovery of such a huge number of stamped ballots found outside the strong room. 

Justice Amrita Sinha, who was hearing the case, questioned the state’s counsel that if there was no complaint filed over these missing ballots then how come they have now reached the court. The court has also questioned whether these ballot papers were manufactured and if so, then who financed it. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/high-court-summons-presiding-officer-bdo-sdo-of-barjora-528093