Three poll officials found drunk, removed from duty in Mizoram
Aizawl, Nov 28 : Three polling officials, including two presiding officers, in Mizoram's Lunglei district were removed from their duties after they were allegedly found in an inebriated state, attempting to assault other officials.
The three persons were removed from the election duties with immediate effect and authorities concerned were asked to initiate departmental enquiries against them, a senior official at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said.
Those who faced action include James RT Khuma, an Associate Professor at Government J Buana College, who was the presiding officer at a polling station in Lunglei South assembly seat.
"He was found to be intoxicated in the DC office premises, was behaving in an extremely unruly manner and attempted to physically assault a senior officer in the presence of others," Lunglei Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Returning Officer Ankita Chakravarty said in an order.
She ordered the principal of Government J Buana College to immediately initiate disciplinary proceedings against Khuma considering it to be "serious misconduct".
Lalramhluna, an Executive Engineer (Highways) of PWD, the presiding officer at Sachan polling station in Thorang seat came to collect polling materials at Saikuti Hall after consuming alcohol.
"While on poll day, this is a serious breach of official duty," Chakravarty said and asked the PWD's Lunglei Superintending Engineer to initiate departmental proceedings against the officer.
S Lalrinthanga, the Headmaster of Government Primary School at Rualalung, the third polling officer at Phairuangchhuah polling station in West Tuipui Assembly constituency also reported for duty in a drunken state and later could not be found at the despatch centre.
"This is a breach of election duty and amounts to serious misconduct. You are hence directed to suspend him with immediate effect," Chakravarty said in her order to Sub-Divisional Education Officer of Lunglei South.
Voting in Mizoram is underway to elect representatives from 40 Assembly constituencies, where a total of 7,70,395 voters, including 3,94,897 women and 32,545 first time voters, will decide the fate of 209 candidates.
Around 29 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first four hours of polling in the state, Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
