The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has announced that it will participate in the opposition parties’ protest march in New Delhi, lodging a strong protest against the alleged arbitrary actions of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The demonstration targets the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the mass deletion of over 13 crore voter names nationwide.
As directed by BJD Supremo and Leader of the Opposition, Naveen Patnaik, the party’s Members of Parliament will take part in the march. BJD Parliamentary Party Leader in the Rajya Sabha, Manas Mangaraj, confirmed the decision, noting that Patnaik had earlier demanded the CEC’s resignation over his controversial handling of the SIR exercise.
Concerns Over Electoral Integrity in Odisha
Highlighting regional ramifications, Mangaraj pointed out the alarming exclusion of more than 20 lakh voters in Odisha under the guise of the SIR exercise. Particular focus was drawn to the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency, where thousands of voters were reportedly left off the rolls, including 227 minority community votes allegedly deleted without the knowledge of local Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
These discrepancies, coupled with the sudden voluntary retirement application submitted by the State Chief Electoral Officer, have cast deep shadows over the poll body’s neutrality.
Questions for the Election Commission
The party also referenced recent Supreme Court observations regarding the modification of Form 6, noting that the apex court clarified no such directions had been issued by it—contrary to previous indications given by the Election Commission.
While maintaining an equidistant stance from both the INDIA bloc and the NDA, Mangaraj emphasised that as a responsible political entity committed to democratic safeguards and the sanctity of the electoral process, the BJD would firmly stand with the collective protest.
