Balasore, July 3: A peculiar situation has arisen in the tehsil office of Jaleswar as two persons have been holding the post of tehsildar here for over a month.

Bijayini Biswal was transferred to Loisinga in Balangir and was relieved of her duties on May 31. Subsequently, she obtained a stay order from a tribunal on June 6. The tribunal order said she should continue in the office till disposal of her representation for cancellation of transfer order.

However, when her successor, Rajanikant Biswal came to join the Jaleswar tehsil office armed with a status quo order, Bijayani refused to hand over the charges to him. Rajanikant had to stay put as his transfer order was not cancelled. “By the time the tribunal order was received, Bijayini was already relieved. I have informed the matter to the government,” said Balasore district collector Akhil Bihari Ota.

With two incumbents for one post, the office has remained locked. Bijayini and her successor Rajanikant are holding offices at different places. She has been sitting in a room on the tehsil office premises without handing over the charge, while her successor has been operating from the local inspection bungalow.

As this has created an administrative stalemate, local people are running from pillar to post to get their work done for obtaining caste, residential and income certificates.

“I have been trying in vain to get a residential certificate for the last two weeks,” said Ashok Patra, a resident of Sheikhbad.

“Local people are being harassed because of the deadlock over the post of tehsildar,” said president of Jaleswar Bar Association Kunja Bihari Das.