- BJD’s Response on Nuapada By-Election
- Administration worked to ensure BJP’s victory
- BJD demands CCTV footage of booths with above 90% polling
- Free and fair election turned into a farce
Bhubaneswar, 13/11/2025:Ahead of Friday’s announcement of the Nuapada bye-election results, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) manipulated the election using administrative machinery.
At a press conference held today at Shankha Bhawan, BJD Vice-President and former minister Shri Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Senior General Secretary Dr. LekhashreeSamantsinghar, and Party Spokesperson and Media Coordinator Dr. Lenin Mohanty jointly accused the BJP of misusing administrative power to influence the election. They said the claim of a “free and fair election” by election officials had turned into a mockery. Despite BJD formally raising multiple complaints before the Chief Electoral Officer regarding code-of-conduct violations and several irregularities during polling, no effective action was taken.
Shri Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said that till 5 p.m. on polling day, election officers reported a voter turnout of 75%. However, later the figure was revised upward to 83.5%. Higher voter turnout is usually a positive sign for democracy, he added, but a jump of over 8% after polling officially ended is highly suspicious. Moreover, polling above 91% in as many as 41 booths raises serious doubts about rigging. During the campaign period, several government officials were seen extending undue assistance to BJP leaders. Respecting the election code that prohibits non-voters from remaining in the constituency during the silent period, all BJD leaders had left Nuapada. But many BJP leaders were found present, allegedly influencing voters. Despite formal complaints, no response came from election authorities.
Dr. Lenin Mohanty demanded that CCTV footage from all booths with more than 90% polling be made public, stating that only such footage could reveal whether genuine voters participated or manipulation took place. Videos circulating on social media allegedly showed EVM machines being transported in private vehicles. Thus, the claim of a free and fair election had become a joke, he said. “After candidate theft and vote theft, now we are witnessing booth theft,” he remarked.
Dr. LekhashreeSamantsinghar stated that, knowing well that BJP could not win through democratic means, the party repeatedly resorted to abuse of administrative power. Over 90% voting is rare, especially in a by-election, and is bound to raise suspicion. She alleged that government officials acted as BJP agents, working to ensure the party’s victory. The BJD, she said, repeatedly brought irregularities during the campaign to the attention of district officials, but received no cooperation. In the final stages, money distribution reportedly occurred under police supervision, and BJP continued campaigning inside booths. Even after BJD’s formal complaints to election authorities, no action was taken. She said the facts clearly show that misuse of administrative machinery by BJP has endangered the very spirit of democracy in the country.
