Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the Bijepur bypoll, the Election Commission of India has begun the process for appointing a new police superintendent for Bargarh district to ensure a free and fair poll.

The bypoll is scheduled on February 24, and the scrutiny of nomination papers was over on Wednesday.

Chief electoral officer of the state Surendra Kumar said the poll body had sought a report from him on the matter. "I have submitted a report, and the Election Commission will take a decision."

Sources said Kumar had asked the state home department to recommend names of three IPS officers of Odisha cadre having adequate experience in conducting elections for appointment as the SP of the district. The new SP will replace current IPS officer Jugal Kishor Kumar Banoth.

In another development, the state home department has sought three names from DGP R.P. Sharma.

On January 30, the BJP alleged that the district collector and the SP were acting like an agent of the BJD, and it had demanded shifting of the two.

Banoth was on the target of BJP ever since criminals had fired at the party's local leader Manoranjan Meher's house on January 7 night. The BJP had alleged that the incident was the handiwork of the BJD.