BJD Takes Vote Discrepancy Battle to Orissa High Court

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) announced its intention to approach the Orissa High Court regarding discrepancies in the 2024 assembly and Lok Sabha election votes. The announcement follows the Election Commission of India's (ECI) failure to provide a satisfactory explanation, as per BJD's spokesperson Amar Patnaik.

According to Patnaik, the party had earlier submitted evidence pointing out vote irregularities but received no adequate reply. Notably, the BJD has distanced itself from the Congress and other opposition groups alleging election manipulation. Instead, the BJD insists its concerns are independent and predate recent agitations.

The party contends there's an observed mismatch between votes counted and cast across various constituencies. The BJD calls for an audit system similar to developed countries and wants the VVPAT system extended beyond the current five per cent limitation. The party is now awaiting the court's decision.