Bhubaneswar: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recently directed the Khurda administration to conduct a joint inquiry into complaints relating to Orissa Association for the Blind, including alleged irregularities in its 2025 election, governance issues and utilisation of govt land and grants.The commission has asked the district magistrate and superintendent of police (SP), Khurda, to jointly investigate allegations surrounding the association’s election held on Nov 9, 2025. The inquiry report has reportedly been sought within two weeks.The complainant, Prashant Dash, general secretary of Orissa Association for the Blind, alleged that an unauthorised and manipulated election was conducted, resulting in the illegal constitution of the association’s governing body. In his petition, he further alleged that visually impaired members were denied the opportunity to participate in the election, subjected to intimidation and assault, and that unauthorised commercial activities were being carried out on govt leasehold land allotted to the association.Dash also alleged that repeated representations to the authorities had failed to elicit any effective inquiry or action. Welcoming the NHRC’s direction, the complainant and other association members said they hoped the inquiry would impartially examine all the issues raised in the petition and establish the facts.
