New Delhi:
A presiding officer, identified as Purna Chandra Panda, died at a polling station in Balasore district on Saturday.
Confirming the same, the officials said, “Panda died after reaching his designated polling station in Ajodhya village under Nilagiri assembly segment in Balasore district.”
In a statement, balasore district assistant collector Rakesh Panda said, "Purna Chandra Panda was deputed as presiding officer at polling station no 28. He suddenly became ill and rushed to Balasore district headquarters hospital where doctor declared him dead."
However, the exact reason of Panda’s death was not yet ascertained. Panda and other personnel of the polling team had reached the booth to conduct voting in Nilagiri assembly segment and Balasore Lok Sabha seat on April 29.
On 18th April, the Election Commission’s nodal officer named Arnab Roy was gone missing from his office in West Bengal’s Krishnagar. He was an in-charge of EVMs and VVPATs for the Ranaghat parliamentary constituency.
His vehicle was found parked outside the college. Both of his mobile phones were switched off and the police traced their last location near Shantipur, around 18 km from Krishnagar. Rumours were rife that he had an altercation with the district magistrate a few days ago. Fortunately, the West Bengal CID on 25th April rescued Arnab Roy from Howrah.
“We have found Mr Roy from a house in Howrah this morning. He is fine,” the CID officer told PTI. The CID officer also said that Roy was looking tired. Asked whether Roy was abducted or he was hiding on his own, the officer said, “We will talk to him to find out what actually happened.”
The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 are being held in seven phases, starting from April 11. The first, second and third phase has been concluded. The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh phase of polls will undergo on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 respectively. The results will be declared on May 23.
