Bhubaneswar: Couple of days before the Bijepur bypoll in Odisha, Padampur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Laxmi Narayan Panda was transferred as per the directive of the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), informed Director General of Police (DGP) RP Sharma today.

Panda has been attached to the office of IG, Northern Range, Sambalpur. His place of posting will be decided by the Police Establishment Board.

On the other hand, SDRPO, Jharsuguda Khirasagar Nayak has been posted as the new SDPO of Padampur.

Worth mentioning, a delegation of BJP led by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had on January 30 submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India (ECI) at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi demanding transfer of several government officials including Panda.

"Laxmi Narayan Panda and the Inspectors In-charge of the police stations of Bijepur, Gaisalat, and Barpali have been instrumental in foisting false and malafide cases against our workers to dampen their spirits," the saffron party had said in the memorandum.