By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Nuapada Assembly bye-election in Odisha was held on November 11, 2025, following the resignation of the previous MLA. It involved 14 candidates, primarily from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and Indian National Congress (INC). Voter turnout was reported at around 81-82%, with results scheduled for November 14, 2025. Polling was largely peaceful, including in Maoist-affected areas like Sunabeda sanctuary, though minor EVM glitches were fixed on-site.
Allegations Raised: Yes, there have been widespread allegations of vote rigging and Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering, primarily from the BJD and Congress against the BJP. These surfaced before, during, and after polling.
Key claims include:
EVM Tampering and Replacement: BJD alleged a “truckload” of EVMs was secretly transported from Ganjam district to Nuapada on November 9, 2025, potentially replacing originals for manipulation.
Specific Incidents cited: At Booth 250, pressing any button allegedly cast votes for BJP’s lotus symbol, causing a commotion. Videos on social media showed EVMs transported in private vehicles, raising transparency concerns. BJD claimed “booth theft” after “candidate and vote theft,” with over 91% turnout in 41 booths deemed suspicious (e.g., 8% votes cast after 5 PM official close).
Vote Rigging and ‘Vote Chori’: Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das accused BJP of “open vote theft,” including pre-cast votes (e.g., a woman finding her vote already recorded) and denying ballots to voters. BJD reported intruders from Chhattisgarh invading booths in the afternoon to rig votes.
Unusual Voter Turnout Patterns: Numbers spiked inconsistently between September 15 draft rolls and November 11 EC notes, per journalist Surendra Barik’s report.
Misuse of Machinery: BJP allegedly distributed money, gifts, and Modi/Majhi images inside booths; government employees acted as BJP agents; opposition leaders’ helicopters were delayed.
Other Violations: BJD submitted evidence of model code breaches, IT raids on leaders’ homes, and police detaining BJD workers for complaints. Both parties claimed victory amid these issues.
These allegations were amplified on social media, with BJD leaders like Pramila Mallik and Lekhasri Samantasinghar posting videos and dossiers calling it a “murder of democracy.”
Official Response and Evidence: Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R.S. Gopalan categorically rejected the claims as “baseless” and “factually incorrect,” warning they erode trust in elections for decades:
EVM Movement: CCTV footage from Ganjam and Nuapada warehouses confirmed no external EVMs were moved. All 720 EVM sets (200% of need) came from Nuapada’s secure local storage, under 24/7 police/CCTV surveillance. Only local machines were used.
Turnout and Glitches: Mock polls at 5:30 AM on November 11 replaced faulty units (3 ballot units, 3 control units). One afternoon glitch at Mongarapali was fixed with backups. High turnout (81.72%) exceeded 2024’s 75.44% but was verified peaceful; no widespread irregularities.
Rigging Incidents: Two poll officers suspended—one for secrecy breach (allowing a companion to vote for an elderly woman), another for unspecified violations. No evidence of systematic rigging; stray complaints investigated.
Broader Context: EC emphasized VVPAT verification and urged against unproven claims. BJP dismissed allegations as “sour grapes” post-2024 losses.
No independent probe has been announced yet, but BJD demanded scrapping the poll and re-election. As of November 16, 2025, results declared BJP’s win (margins not detailed in sources), fueling further opposition outcry without new evidence.
Assessment: Are the Allegations True? The allegations are real and actively leveled by opposition parties, backed by their eyewitness accounts, videos, and data on turnout anomalies—representing the BJD and Congress viewpoints. However, they remain unsubstantiated by concrete proof, with the Election Commission (EC) providing verifiable counters (e.g., CCTV logs, on-site fixes) showing no tampering occurred. This fits a pattern in Indian elections where losers often cry foul without overturning results via courts or audits. If true, it would indicate systemic flaws; if false, it’s political rhetoric. For resolution, await any EC inquiry or legal challenges—democracy thrives on scrutiny, but baseless claims risk public cynicism.
