BJD demands cancellation of 2 BJP MLA votes in Odisha Rajya Sabha polls
The main opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday met R.S. Gopalan, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, alleging illegal issuance of second ballot papers to two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators during the Rajya Sabha elections 2026. The party submitted a formal memorandum demanding the cancellation of the two votes and a declaration that Datteswar Hota be declared elected.
What BJD Alleges
The BJD delegation, led by Deputy Leader of the BJD Legislature Party Prasanna Acharya, claimed that second ballot papers were illegally issued to Brahmagiri MLA Upasana Mohapatra and Kallikote MLA Purna Chandra Sethy after their original ballot papers had already been marked. The party argued that the circumstances did not satisfy the statutory requirements under Rule 41 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, which governs the treatment of spoilt ballots.
Notably, the BJD stated that the Election Commission Observer had initially declined permission for the issuance of second ballot papers but subsequently allowed it — a reversal the party described as raising
