BHUBANESWAR: A fresh political controversy has erupted in Odisha following the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections, with the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) alleging serious irregularities in the voting process and approaching the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) seeking intervention.
A BJD delegation met the CEO on Monday and lodged a formal complaint over the manner in which voting was conducted during the Rajya Sabha polls. The party specifically raised objections regarding BJP legislators Upasana Mohapatra and Purna Chandra Sethi, alleging that both MLAs had initially marked their ballot papers incorrectly.
According to the BJD, despite objections raised by its representatives during polling, the Returning Officer allegedly permitted the two BJP MLAs to cast their votes again by issuing fresh ballot papers. The regional party termed the move a violation of established electoral procedures and described the process as “undemocratic.”
The BJD delegation urged the Election Commission authorities to examine the circumstances under which the second ballot papers were issued and questioned the transparency of the voting process.
The controversy has intensified political tensions in Odisha, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition BJD are already engaged in an increasingly sharp political battle after the BJP’s rise to power in the state.
Reacting strongly to the allegations, Odisha law minister Prithviraj Harichandan dismissed the BJD’s complaint as baseless and criticised the opposition for taking the matter to the Chief Electoral Officer.
“When they objected to it, I had clarified and specified how it was justified. Our party had also clarified how another ballot paper could be issued to MLAs who had made a mistake. Despite all this, if they still argue unnecessarily, then it reflects their political frustration,” Harichandan said.
The BJP maintained that the issuance of fresh ballot papers to legislators who inadvertently spoiled their ballots was permissible under election rules and accused the BJD of attempting to create a political controversy over a procedural matter.
The episode has now emerged as a fresh flashpoint in Odisha politics, with both the ruling BJP and the opposition BJD trading sharp accusations over the conduct and integrity of the Rajya Sabha election process.
Political observers believe the dispute could further deepen the growing confrontation between the two major political forces in Odisha ahead of upcoming rural and urban body electoral battles in the state.