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Odisha RS Polls Row: BJD Protests as MLA Gets 2nd Ballot After "Mistake"

A controversy erupted during Rajya Sabha polling in the Odisha Assembly when Brahmagiri MLA Upasna Mohapatra was issued a second ballot paper after allegedly making an error on the first. The opposition BJD and Congress strongly objected, calling it illegal and a violation of democratic norms. The ruling BJP defended the move, stating it was within the rules as the ballot had not been shown to an agent. The incident caused a temporary halt in voting for the four Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

Key Points: Odisha RS Polls: Row Over MLA's Second Ballot Paper

  • MLA given second ballot after error
  • BJD & Congress cry foul
  • BJP denies any rule violation
  • Polling for 4 RS seats underway
2 min read

RS polls: Row erupts in Odisha Assembly as Brahmagiri MLA gets second ballot

BJD and Congress object as Brahmagiri MLA Upasna Mohapatra gets a second ballot paper during Rajya Sabha polling in Odisha Assembly.

"The officers... have illegally accepted her vote and issued a second ballot paper. This is completely against democratic norms. - Naveen Patnaik"

Bhubaneswar, March 16

Amid polling for four Rajya Sabha seats, the opposition Biju Janata Dal on Monday raised serious objections to the vote cast by Brahmagiri MLA Upasna Mohapatra, who was given a second ballot after allegedly making a mistake while voting.

As per reports, a row began during polling when Mohapatra allegedly made an overwriting while marking her ballot paper due to the ink problem.

Later, she sought a second ballot paper from polling officials, fearing rejection of her vote. Agents and leaders of the Biju Janata Dal and the Indian National Congress present there immediately objected, halting the voting process for several minutes.

Speaking to media persons outside the Assembly, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik said, "The lady MLA from Brahmagiri made a clear mistake while voting. However, the officers present in the voting room, who are in charge, have illegally accepted her vote and issued a second ballot paper. This is completely against democratic norms and a violation of election rules. We strongly object to this. Some of our members have raised the issue, but they are not listening, thereby destroying the democratic election process."

Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied the allegations, saying no illegal activity or violation of rules took place during the polling. The party asserted that Mohapatra's vote was absolutely legal.

"As per the guidelines and rules, a voter can exchange the ballot paper if he/she had not shown the ballot paper to the agent. The BJD and Congress agents objected initially, but after seeing the rules, they allowed her to vote," claimed BJP MLA Prakash Chandra Sethi.

Sethi also expressed confidence that BJP candidates Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar, along with party-backed independent candidate Dilip Ray, will win the Rajya Sabha polls.

Polling is underway in the Odisha Assembly for four Rajya Sabha seats from the state amid allegations of cross-voting by several leaders from both the opposition BJD and Congress.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
This is very concerning. How can a second ballot be issued so casually? It sets a dangerous precedent. The Election Commission must clarify the exact rule and ensure such incidents don't happen again. Our democracy depends on strict adherence to procedure. 🤔
R
Rohit P
Typical political blame game during every election. Both sides will claim foul play. The important thing is that the voter's intent is counted correctly. If it was a genuine ink issue, then the correction was justified.
A
Anjali F
As a citizen, I find this confusing. The BJP says it's legal, BJD says it's illegal. Who do we believe? There should be a live feed or independent observers for such crucial votes to maintain public trust. This back-and-forth erodes faith in the system.
M
Michael C
Observing from outside, the process seems to have safeguards with agents present. If they objected and then, as claimed, allowed it after seeing the rules, then perhaps it was procedural. The focus should be on the larger issue of cross-voting allegations.
K
Kavya N
Whether it's BJP or BJD, such controversies are a bad look for Odisha. Our MLAs should be more careful. A simple vote should not become a national news scandal. Hope the results are clear and accepted by all. 🙏

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