Odisha Chief Electoral Officer R.S. Gopalan is set to meet with a delegation from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on May 11 to address concerns about the alleged illegal issuance of a second ballot paper to legislators Upasana Mohapatra and Purna Chandra Sethy during the Rajya Sabha elections on March 16. The BJD, under the direction of President Naveen Patnaik, had urgently approached the Election Commission of India through senior party leader Sasmit Patra on April 28 regarding this issue.
In response to the representation, Rajendra Kumar Singh, Under Secretary of the Election Commission of India, communicated with the Odisha CEO on April 29, requesting an immediate meeting with the BJD delegation to investigate the matter. The meeting has been scheduled for May 11 at 11 a.m., as confirmed by the regional party in a statement.
Following instructions from Naveen Patnaik, a BJD delegation led by Prasanna Acharya, Deputy Leader of the BJD Legislature Party, will meet with Odisha CEO Gopalan on May 11. The delegation comprises senior BJD leaders and party officials, including Pramila Mallik, Pratap Deb, Arun Kumar Sahoo, and Sasmit Patra, who is also the petitioner in this case.
The BJD continues to demand prompt statutory action to address the alleged irregularities and calls for a transparent inquiry to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. During the Rajya Sabha elections, the BJD had raised objections over the reported issuance of second ballot papers, emphasizing the need for a fair investigation.
