Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024: IPS Officer Suspended For Dereliction Of Duty

The 2004-bath Rajasthan cadre IPS officer, Kishan Sahay Meena, posted as a police observer in Gumla, reached Jaipur without seeking permission from the poll body.

Ranchi: Amid the ongoing elections and by-elections, the Election Commission of India suspended a Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Kishan Sahay Meena for dereliction of duty. The official, posted in Jharkhand for electoral duty, has been accused of returning to Rajasthan without permission.

Jharkhand chief election officer K Ravi Kumar has confirmed the suspension of Meena, who belongs to the 2004 batch. He said Meena, posted as a police observer in Gumla, left duty without permission from the commission, after which this action was taken and another police observer was appointed in his place.

It is worth noting that Meena returned to Jaipur from Jharkhand without ECI's permission and reportedly informed the authorities about his illness but did not get permission to return.

CEO claimed overall the voting has been peaceful and fair in Jharkhand and two cases of violation of the Model Code of Conduct have been registered in Bhawanathpur and Jamshedpur East on Wednesday. A complaint has also been received about the taking away of a bag with a photo from a booth in Kanke and action is being taken.

A voter turnout of 29.3 per cent was recorded in the first four hours of polling on Wednesday in 43 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand where voting is underway in the first phase, officials said. Polling began at 7 am in these constituencies across 15 districts and will continue till 5 pm. The fate of 683 candidates including former CM Champai Soren and ex-MP Geeta Kora will be tested. Long queues of voters were seen outside several booths in the morning.

Khunti district registered the highest voter turnout at 34 per cent, followed by 33.9 per cent in Gumla, 33.4 per cent in Lohardaga and 33.2 per cent in Simdega.

Serailkeala-Kharsawan recorded 32.65 per cent voting, followed by 31 per cent in Koderma, 30.6 per cent in Latehar and 30.4 per cent in Garhwa.

Hazaribag logged 29.6 per cent polling, Chatra 29.5 per cent, West Singhbhum 29.4 per cent, Palamu 29.4 per cent and East Sinbhum 28.3 per cent.

Of the remaining districts, Ranchi recorded 24.7 per cent voter turnout, the second lowest poll percentage, while neighbouring Ramgarh saw another lowest turnout of 24 per cent till 11 AM.