RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, April 16: The Rural Development Department’s order notifying transfers/postings of as many as 32 block development officers (BDOs) ahead of the Panchayat election, that too on a public holiday, has irked the BJP.
State BJP president and Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash shared his view saying how the exercise is wrong.
“After the declaration of Panchayat election the mass transfers/postings of the BDOs is nothing other than a conspiracy. We will discuss the matter today within the party and decide on the line of action to highlight the conspiracy,” Prakash said commenting on the notification issued on Good Friday night.
Incidentally, the notification was issued after the due approval of the State Election Commission. When informed the same to Prakash asking what was wrong in it, he explained its seriousness.
“It does not matter who approved it. The timing is wrong. We will also meet the election commissioner and register our objection. One can justify one or two transfers or postings after the declaration of the election but mass transfer/posting is something unusual. BDOs have a vital role in Panchayat elections. If required we can knock on the door of Jharkhand High Court.”
When contacted, Rural Development Secretary Manish Ranjan said there is nothing wrong as it was done for strengthening the democracy at the grass-root level.
“There is no mass transfer. The officers who were posted to work as BDOs have completed their training. The officers have been posted on the vacant posts of BDOs. Those posted as BDOs will strengthen the hands of DC and DDC and play their role in holding free and fair elections to strengthen democracy at the grass-root level,” Ranjan said.
Notification, however, suggests that Godda Sadar BDO has been transferred in the same capacity at Panki in Palamau, Sudhir Prakash has been transferred to Mandu (Ramgarh) from Goelkera ((West Singhbhum). Another 30 have been posted as BDO after the rural development department got their services from other departments.
