A Biju Janata Dal (BJD) delegation led by Debi Prasad Mishra, Senior Vice President of the party, on Tuesday met the Election Commission of India. The BJD delegation was invited by the commission for an interaction to suggest improvements in the election process.
The delegation included Dr. Amar Patnaik (Ex-MP), Sanjay Das Burma (Ex-Minister), Pramila Mallick (Ex-Speaker), Niranjan Pujari (Ex-Speaker), Sulata Deo (MP), Dr. Priyabrata Majhi (Media Coordinator), and Bhrugu Buxipatra (Senior General Secretary, BJD).
Addressing a press briefing after the interaction, the BJD delegation reiterated its objection to the unexplained and unusual variances in the number of votes polled and counted, the discrepancies between MP and MLA segment votes counted, and the sudden increase in polling percentage after 5 PM during the last simultaneous General and Assembly Elections in 2024.
These concerns had already been raised with the ECI during earlier discussions and were formally submitted in a memorandum in December 2024.
The delegation also expressed concern regarding the non-receipt of Form 17C, despite repeated efforts from local election officers to the apex level.
The Election Commission expressed surprise and acknowledged that Form 17C should have been provided.
The BJD delegation presented its findings to the Election Commission of India, highlighting how the available data indicates voting irregularities and raised concerns regarding the integrity, legitimacy, and impartiality of the electoral process.
The delegation emphasised that these questions are being raised in order to strengthen democratic values.
Specific reference was made to nontransparent practices in several constituencies, particularly including the Jajpur Parliamentary Constituency.
Regarding the preparation of electoral rolls, the delegation suggested improvements with a focus on ensuring that no legal voter is disenfranchised, especially migrants and temporary workers.
Debi Prasad Mishra noted that since NRIs are entitled to register their names in the electoral roll in their native constituencies in India as per the provisions of Section 20A(1-C) a harsh view should not be taken against migrant and temporary workers working outside Odisha.
Doing so may lead to socio-cultural disharmony in their native villages if they are deprived of voting rights.
The ECI appreciated this point and assured that it would provide a longer period and more opportunities for enrollment.
The delegation also reiterated its discontent with the approach of the Election Commission, where the responsibility for ensuring transparency in the electoral process was disproportionately shifted to booth agents, counting agents, and polling agents only. This point had already been raised in BJD’s second representation to the ECI.
On the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Odisha, Dr. Amar Patnaik raised with the Election Commission that the BJD will vehemently oppose its implementation if it follows the same approach as Bihar where genuine voters were allegedly disenfranchised due to hasty processes and insufficient time.
The BJD stressed that SIR should be conducted with the right objective of improving transparency in the electoral process, with active involvement of all stakeholders. “No eligible voter should be disenfranchised under the pretext of removing ineligible voters from the electoral roll,” the party said.
The BJD said that it will chalk its plan over the issues depending upon the response of the ECI and may take the agitational programme if the genuine issues are not addressed.