By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia
The political atmosphere in Odisha has intensified over fresh allegations of vote tampering. What began as Rahul Gandhi’s national-level attack on the Election Commission has now gained local momentum, with senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena openly targeting both the BJP and the Election Commission.
At a press conference, Jena demanded that CCTV footage from polling booths and related digital data be made public, claiming it would reveal the truth about alleged electoral malpractice. His concerns were not just rhetorical — backed by a detailed formal complaint to the District Magistrate of Balasore, outlining a series of serious issues.
Key Concerns Raised by Srikant Jena
- EVM Storage and Movement
EVMs for the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency were kept in four separate strong rooms across Balasore, Nilagiri, Baripada, and the Balasore ITI building. After polling ended on June 1, 2024, these machines were moved to their respective locations by the next morning. - Power Cuts and Missing CCTV Footage
Jena reported a three-hour power cut in Nilagiri during which no CCTV footage was available from the strong room. Despite immediate complaints, it took time for authorities to respond. - Restricted Access to Strong Rooms
Congress party representatives were allegedly denied entry to the Balasore ITI building, where EVMs for Jaleswar and Bhograi segments were kept — even after reassurances from officials. Jena himself visited around midnight but was refused entry. - Further Power Cuts in Other Locations
Similar issues were reported from the Balasore Collectorate strong room, where sporadic power cuts and CCTV blackouts occurred for 24 hours after polling. - Non-Availability of Form-20 Data
Booth-wise voting data (Form-20) was not provided for the Lok Sabha elections, although it was available for Assembly elections. Jena claims to have requested it repeatedly since June 4, without success. - Possibility of Unauthorised Access
The combination of power outages, lack of surveillance, and restricted access, Jena argued, creates room for potential tampering — something that must be urgently investigated to restore public trust.
Political Context and BJD’s Position
Interestingly, this is not the first time such allegations have been made. Eight months ago, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had itself accused the Election Commission of vote manipulation and had met with the Commission to raise its concerns.
Now, with opposition parties under the INDIA bloc uniting to protest against the Election Commission and the central government, BJD’s absence from these protests — despite having seven MPs in Delhi — has raised eyebrows.
Political analysts and party insiders are questioning why the BJD is reluctant to take a clear national stand on the matter, especially when similar allegations were once part of its political strategy.
The unfolding events have not only put the spotlight on Odisha’s electoral process but have also placed the BJD in a politically delicate position — caught between its past stance and present silence.
