BJD Addresses BJP's Criticism Over Delayed Poll Data Collection and Discrepancies

The BJD has raised concerns with the Election Commission regarding discrepancies in votes from Odisha's recent elections. They claim it took six months to gather data due to delays in receiving information from district election officers. BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo expressed surprise at the BJP's reaction, questioning why they are concerned when no accusations were directed at them.

The BJD's memorandum to the Election Commission highlighted significant differences between Form 17-C and Form-20, which are filled by presiding and returning officers, respectively. These discrepancies were noted in both assembly and parliamentary constituencies. For instance, Dhenkanal had a variance of 4,056 votes, Kandhamal 3,521 votes, and Balangir 2,701 votes.

Data Collection Challenges

Sahoo explained that after the elections, requests for booth-level data were made to district collectors but were not fulfilled. He alleged that an unwritten directive from the state government instructed collectors not to release this information. This lack of transparency prompted the BJD to conduct its own research over six months, uncovering several inconsistencies.

BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi dismissed the BJD's actions as a ploy for attention, stating, "Six months after the election, now they have realised that they do not have the power. They are doing all this drama just to stay in the limelight." Despite this criticism, Sahoo insisted on the public's right to access election data and questioned why discrepancies exist between reports from presiding and returning officers.

Seeking Clarification from EC

The BJD approached the Election Commission seeking clarification on these inconsistencies. Sahoo questioned why, if the EC's data is accurate, copies of it are not being provided. He argued that these gaps have led to confusion among voters and stressed the need for transparency in electoral processes.

In summary, the BJD is urging for clarity on vote discrepancies in Odisha's recent elections. They emphasise their commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in electoral practices while questioning the BJP's defensive stance on the matter.