The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday announced that it would approach the Election Commission of India (EC), alleging discrepancies in voting patterns during the recently concluded Nuapada bypoll, where BJP candidate Jay Dholakia secured a decisive victory.
At a meeting of the party’s apex body, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), chaired by BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence, leaders flagged “serious irregularities” in the polling process.
The PAC identified 63 booths in the Nuapada Assembly constituency where the party suspects the voting pattern was manipulated or did not reflect ground-level support, prompting the decision to seek the EC’s intervention.
PAC member Pramila Mallik said, “We don’t know where our votes have gone. Our cadres are expressing shock and disbelief over the bypoll outcome. We will submit a formal representation to the EC.” The EVM was suspected to have been tampered with, BJD leaders alleged.
This is not the first time the regional party has questioned election results. Following its shocking defeat in 2024, the BJD conducted an in-depth review of voting patterns, particularly the sudden spike in vote percentage recorded after 5 p.m., when polling had officially ended.
