Did the BJD delegation raise concerns with the CEC about 2024 poll irregularities?

Bhubaneswar, Aug 19 (NationPress) A group from the opposition party Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by its senior Vice President and designated party representative, Debi Prasad Mishra, convened with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi on Tuesday.

The delegation has reportedly informed the Election Commission of India (ECI) about its concerns regarding alleged voting irregularities during the 2024 State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

According to an official statement from the Commission, this meeting is part of ECI's ongoing dialogue with the Presidents of various National and State Political Parties.

“These interactions fulfill a long-felt need for productive discussions, allowing National and State Party Presidents to communicate their suggestions and concerns directly with the Commission. This initiative aligns with the Commission’s broader vision of enhancing the electoral process within the current legal framework, engaging all stakeholders,” stated the commission.

In the meantime, the BJD has claimed that the ECI is not maintaining the expected level of transparency and openness in the electoral process. Following the meeting, senior BJD leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik remarked, "The primary concern is that the Election Commission is not as transparent and open in the political process as required. Its credibility is in question, and we are voicing our concerns. The matter we raised eight months ago remains inadequately addressed, suggesting that the Election Commission is persistently trying to obscure something."

He further criticized the ECI's stance, noting that every time the BJD raises issues related to discrepancies in the 2024 general elections in Odisha, the Commission challenges the party to take legal action, claiming its actions are entirely justified.

“We conveyed to the Election Commission today that priority must be given during the electoral revision process to ensure the names of valid voters are retained on the list. Simultaneously, the names of ineligible or false voters should be eliminated. We also asserted that during the SIR process in Odisha, as recently announced, if any valid voter’s name is hastily removed, as experienced in Bihar, the party will vehemently oppose it across the state,” Patnaik added.

Notably, the party has previously raised three key issues with the ECI: (1) inconsistencies between the number of votes cast and counted in all MP constituencies across the state during the 2024 elections; (2) discrepancies between the total votes counted in all Assembly segments under an MP constituency and the total votes recorded for that specific MP constituency; and (3) an unusually high voting percentage recorded after 5 p.m. in nearly all constituencies.