BJD Demands ECI for Independent Election Process Audit
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has once again approached the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding an independent audit of the electoral process and greater transparency in vote counting. The party has raised concerns about discrepancies in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and has called for citizen-led poll monitoring to ensure free and fair elections.
Key Allegations & Demands:
- Mismatch in votes polled and counted across multiple booths.
- Full tallying of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with EVM counts instead of the current practice of checking only five random booths per assembly segment.
- Transparency in election data, including access to Forms 17C Part I and II, which contain records of votes cast and counted.
The BJD emphasized that discrepancies in voting figures have shaken public confidence in the electoral process. The party cited its December 2023 memorandum to the ECI, which highlighted inconsistencies in vote counts during the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections, held simultaneously.
The party flagged a variation in vote counts across multiple constituencies, including:
- 4,056 votes in Dhenkanal Parliamentary Constituency (PC)
- 3,521 votes in Kandhamal PC
- 2,701 votes in Bolangir PC
Additionally, the BJD questioned the discrepancies in polling percentages, noting a significant difference between the initial figures released by the EC at 11:45 pm on election day and the final numbers published two days later. The party sought clarification on whether voting extended beyond the stipulated time.
FaceOff The Fact In Winning Elections
The party urged the ECI to allow independent auditors to conduct a "process audit" of elections and suggested greater involvement of citizen groups to monitor the polling process. According to the BJD, failure to provide Form 17C further raises doubts about the fairness of elections.
With these demands, the BJD aims to restore voter trust and ensure greater electoral accountability in India.
