Madikeri: The Kodagu District Transport Department Special Officer J P Gangadhar on election duty has been suspended for obstructing the officials on electoral duty at a check post in Perumbadi near Virajpet on March 28 at 10 PM.
Gangadhar has been suspended by the State Transport Commissioner and Disciplinary Committee Officer after Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu, Annies Kanmani Joy asked the officials to take strict action against him.
Annies Kanmani Joy has also asked Chief Operating Officer of Zilla Panchayat to take strict action against Static Surveillance Team (SST) Officer K M Thimmaiah, who is also Hathur Gram Panchayat PDO, on election duty at Perumbadi check post, for indulging in a strife with Gangadhar.
J P Gangadhar was appointed as District Election Nodal Officer. However, he was not ordered to conduct any inspection. But on March 28, Gangadhar inspected the vehicles going through the Perumbadi check post from Kerala to Kodagu. Upset over this, SST Officer K M Thimmaiah who was on election duty at that time engaged in a verbal strife with Gangadhar.
Thimmaiah complained to the Deputy Commissioner that Gangadhar has caused trouble to the public in the name of vehicle inspection and also insulted him while on duty. Gangadhar also complained to the DC with video proof of Thimmaiah verbally abusing him.
Annies Kanmani Joy who is also the Chief Election Officer for the district, inquired into the incident and filed a report that both the officers had acted against the norms of election duty and asked their senior officers to take strict action against the duo.
