K'taka CEO to be special observer for RS poll

Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anil Kumar Jha will be on duty in Odisha as a special observer during the February 7 Rajya Sabha elections in the state.

Odisha CEO Mona Sharma will be an observer. Both have been appointed by the Election Commission (EC) of India.

The role of the special observer will be to keep a close watch on electoral malpractices during the important polls, particularly the circulation of money. “Keeping a strict vigil on possible horsetrading will be the principal duty of the special observer,” a senior official in the state CEO’s office said. 

Jha will intimate the EC immediately if he comes across any kind of electoral irregularity and will also submit a report to the commission after the polls are over.

There is a possibility of horsetrading during the elections in the state on Friday, as five candidates—three from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), one BJD-backed Independent and one from the opposition Congress—will be contesting for four Rajya Sabha vacancies from the state.

With its strength of 108 MLAs in the current state Assembly, the ruling BJD is likely to get three seats. However, it will be a tough fight with Congress nominee IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal and Independent award winning sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra contesting for the fourth vacancy.

The Congress, which has 27 members in the Assembly, needs three more independent votes to get its candidate through. However, Mohapatra, who is expected to get 18 BJD votes, requires 12 more votes from Independents and other parties, including the BJP, to capture the fourth Rajya Sabha seat.