Bhubaneswar, May 2026: A delegation of senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders met Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Monday, submitting a memorandum alleging serious irregularities in the recently held Rajya Sabha Elections 2026.
The leaders — Prasanna Acharya, Pramila Mallik, Pratap Deb, Dr Arun Kumar Sahoo, and Dr Sasmit Patra — claimed that two MLAs, Upasana Mohapatra (Brahmagiri) and Purna Chandra Sethy (Khallikote), were illegally issued second ballot papers after their original ballots had already been marked during polling on March 16.
According to the memorandum, this action violated Rule 41 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, which permits fresh ballot papers only if the original becomes unusable, not for the correction of marked votes.
The party submitted documentary and audiovisual evidence, including CCTV footage, official videography, photographs, polling records, and written objections lodged during the process.
The BJD demanded rejection of the disputed votes cast in favour of candidate Shri Dillip Ray, declaration of Dr Datteswar Hota as elected based on valid first preference votes, and an independent inquiry into the issuance of second ballots.
They also urged preservation of all election records and observer reports for scrutiny.
The delegation emphasised that the matter concerns the sanctity, legality, and integrity of the electoral process, calling for strict adherence to constitutional and statutory provisions.
