Dr. Amar Patnaik of BJD (image-X/LokSabha_PRIDE)

Bhubaneswar, Odisha: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday approached the Election Commission, raising concerns regarding alleged “serious” discrepancies in the number of votes polled and counted in a booth in a Lok Sabha and Assembly seat in Odisha.

“The 15 to 30% difference between the voter turnout on polling day and the voter turnout reported two days later in 50 assembly constituencies has raised suspicions,” stated the party. Top BJD officials, including floor leader Sasmit Patra and senior party leader Amar Patnaik, met poll officials and submitted a memorandum regarding their complaints.

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Three Major Concerns Raised by the BJD:

1. Difference in total votes polled and counted in a booth from the same EVM: The party raised concerns over “serious discrepancies” between form 17C filled by the Presiding Officer and Form 20 filled by the Retuning Officer (RO) across several constituencies. Citing examples, the party stated that a difference of 682 was recorded in booth no. 57 of 84-Phulbani (ST) assembly; a difference of 660 and 780 was found in booth no, 165 and booth no. 219 of the 08-Talsara (ST) assembly constituency, respectively, among others.

The party observed that the differences “should not be the case” as the total number of votes counted by the RO “cannot vary” from the votes polled by the Presiding Officer. The differences are “high enough” to possibly impact the final result of the election in the assembly/parliamentary constituency, observed the party.

2. Votes Polled in a Parliamentary Constituency Different from Total Votes Polled for all its Constituent Assembly Units: The BJD observed that since elections for assembly and parliament were held simultaneously in the state, it is “highly improbable” for a voter to cast their vote for a parliament candidate and not for the assembly candidate or vice versa. Even so, it is recorded in the form 17C.

Across all PCs, there is a “huge discrepancy” between votes counted in a PC and its constituent ACs, the BJD stated. Variations range from 4,056 votes in Dhenkanal PC to 3,521 votes in Kandhamal PC and 2,701 votes in Balangir PC.

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3. How Odisha recorded the highest difference in votes polled and counted in India: The party highlighted that the state has had simultaneous elections since 2004, but a massive discrepancy emerged only in the 2024 elections. While the “maximum discrepancy” noted in the past elections between close of poll and end of poll was 0.5 to 1.5 percent, the percentage has never gone beyond 2 percent, claimed the BJD.

“This is the first time in the history of Odisha elections, perhaps also in the country that the reported voting percentage at the close of poll on polling day and final voting percentage after end of poll reported by ECI after two days saw a difference ranges from 15 to 30 percent,” emphasised the BJP.

For instance, in the assembly constituency of Keonjhar, where CM Mohan Charan Manjhi won, the difference between the voting percentage at the close and end of the poll was 30.64 percent, but the difference between the voting percentage at 11:45 pm of poll day (when polls are closed) and the final numbers published by the ECI two days later was 10 percent.

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The party alleged that the people of Odisha and the political parties in the state are “baffled” by the voting discrepancies.

The BJD’s allegations echo similar complaints raised by several opposition parties since the election results were announced. The BJD, notably, maintains equal distance from the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA alliance.