Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has scheduled a meeting on May 11, 2026 with a delegation of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) with regards to latter’s allegation regarding “illegal” issuance of second ballot to two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs during Rajya Sabha election.
Following instruction of BJD president Naveen Patnaik, party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra submitted an urgent representation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the issuance of a second ballot paper to MLAs Upasana Mohapatra and Purna Chandra Sethi, during the Rajya Sabha Elections held on March 16, 2026.
“In response, Rajendra Kumar Singh, Under Secretary, Election Commission of India, on April 29, 2026, addressed a communication to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha, requesting an urgent appointment with the BJD delegation to examine the matter,” said BJD in a press statement.
The CEO, Odisha, subsequently, scheduled a meeting with the BJD delegation on May 11, 2026, the party said.
Prasanna Acharya, deputy Leader of Opposition of BJD Legislature Party will lead the delegation. The other members of the delegations are Pratap Deb, deputy chief whip of the BJD and the BJD’s authorised agent for the Rajya Sabha polls, Arun Kumar Sahoo, MLA and counting agent for the poll and Mr. Patra, counting agent, in the poll.
