Madhya Pradesh government reappoints Bhind Collector, SP

Both the officials were transferred by the EC a week ahead of the Ater bypoll following a complaint that the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine dispensed only lotus (the BJP’s symbol) slips irrespective of any button being pressed on the EVM during the familiarisation exercise.

VVPAT is a machine which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for which a person has voted for. The slip drops in a box and the voter cannot take it home.

After an inquiry, the EC however, denied all such allegations.

Kiran Gopal and Sushant Saxena had respectively replaced Ilaya Raja and Kushwaha.

In today’s order, Gopal has been posted as Managing Director, MP Trade and Investment Facilitation Corporation Limited while Ilaya Raja T has been re-posted as Bhind Collector.

In another order, Kushwaha was transferred to his previous post as the SP of Bhind district while Saxena was transferred as SP in Shahdol district.

The bypolls for two assembly seats of Ater and Bandhavgarh (Umaria) in Madhya Pradesh were held on April 9. The results were declared on April 13.

The Congress won the Ater seat, while the BJP emerged victorious in Bandhavgarh.