Two Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) in Bidar district have been suspended on charges of dereliction of duty and negligence, according to separate orders issued by Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Girish Badole.

The suspended officials are Ramesh Beerappa, PDO of Sithalgera Gram Panchayat in Humnabad taluk, and Abdul Razak, PDO of Mudabi Gram Panchayat in Basavakalyan taluk.

Mr. Beerappa was suspended following allegations of negligence in the maintenance of drinking water sources and public health safety measures in Nimbur village, which comes under the jurisdiction of Sithalgera Gram Panchayat, in February.

He was also accused of issuing a cheque towards the pending honorarium of a gram panchayat member despite insufficient funds in the Panchayat account, amounting to a lapse in official duty. A notice seeking an explanation was issued to him, warning of disciplinary action if his reply was found unsatisfactory. The suspension order stated that the charges against him were found to be substantiated.

In a separate case, Mr. Razak was suspended for alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme at Mudabi Gram Panchayat.

The inquiry reportedly found that he had failed to settle expenditure details of funds released under MGNREGA within the stipulated period and had not properly handled related financial transactions. The order stated that despite the creation of Fund Transfer Orders amounting to around ₹34 lakh, necessary steps were not taken to complete the payment process and submit them to the treasury.

The suspension order also cited failure to act despite repeated instructions from the Basavakalyan Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer, irregular attendance at the gram panchayat office, complaints from the public, and an inadequate response to notices issued by higher authorities.

The suspension order stated that neither official shall leave their headquarters during the suspension period without prior permission from the competent authority. They will be eligible for subsistence allowance as per the provisions of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules, it added.