A delegation from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) met with R.S. Gopalan, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, to address concerns about the alleged illegal issuance of second ballot papers to BJP legislators during the recent Rajya Sabha polls. The BJD delegation, led by Deputy Leader Prasanna Acharya, submitted a memorandum demanding the cancellation of two votes cast by the BJP MLAs.
The memorandum claimed that second ballot papers were given to Brahmagiri MLA Upasana Mohapatra and Kallikote MLA Purna Chandra Sethy after their original ballots had been marked during the elections. Despite objections, the second ballots were issued without meeting the statutory requirements under Rule 41 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
The BJD highlighted that the Election Commission Observer had initially refused the issuance of second ballot papers but later permitted it, raising concerns about the legality of treating the ballots as “spoilt ballots.” The party emphasized the objections raised by various stakeholders, indicating a significant statutory violation affecting the election’s integrity.
The BJD President, Naveen Patnaik, raised the issue during the voting process and later formally brought it to the Election Commission of India’s attention. Following a representation by Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sasmit Patra, the ECI instructed the Odisha CEO to meet with the BJD delegation and address their grievances.
