ODISHA Election Commission orders transfer of Sujata Karthikeyan, wife of BJD leader V.K. Pandian, from Mission Shakti department

[03/05, 1:38 am] pradeepsahu792: A high-level BJP delegation had alleged that Ms. Karthikeyan was misusing her position to reach out to voters in order to influence them in favour of the BJD
[03/05, 1:38 am] pradeepsahu792: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday ordered the transfer of Sujata R. Karthikeyan, an IAS officer and wife of powerful Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader V.K. Pandian, from the post of secretary to the Mission Shakti department in Odisha.
[03/05, 1:38 am] pradeepsahu792: ECI sources said that Ms. Karthikeyan, Commissioner cum Secretary, Department of Mission Shakti, has been ordered to be transferred to a non-public dealing department with immediate effect.

The action was taken based on complaints of alleged misuse of public office, sources said.
[03/05, 1:39 am] pradeepsahu792: Earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had urged the Election Commission of India to relieve her from the post alleging that she was involved in influencing women’s self-help groups to vote for the BJD.

A high level BJP delegation comprising Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, and BJP general secretary Om Pathak submitted a memorandum in this regard with the ECI in New Delhi.

According to the memorandum, the Odisha department of Mission Shakti was organising a Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme for the 2024 Parliamentary and Assembly elections for women self-help groups (SHGs) to reach out wider population with its messages of voter awareness and education.