Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Monday alleged serious violations during the 48-hour silence period in the November 11 Nuapada Assembly by-election in Odisha.
“The hallmark of a true democracy lies in the conduct of free and fair elections. However, it has come to our notice that in #Nuapada, serious violations are taking place during the legally mandated silence period — 48 hours before polling,” the former Chief Minister said in a post on X.
As per the Election Commission of India’s guidelines, political leaders and campaigners from outside the constituency are required to leave the area once the silence period begins, he said.
“Contrary to this, we have reliable information that leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from outside Nuapada are freely moving around and attempting to influence voters through unfair means,” claimed Naveen, who is also the leader of opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly.
“Disturbingly, when local Biju Janata Dal Odisha leaders have objected to these activities, they have been detained by the police. This clearly suggests that the district administration and local police are acting in a partisan manner, serving the interests of the ruling party rather than upholding electoral neutrality,” he alleged.
Noting that this situation strikes at the very core of democratic fairness and undermines public faith in the electoral process, Naveen said such actions, if allowed to continue, will cast a “serious shadow on the integrity” of the polls in Nuapada.
Seeking immediate intervention of the ECI to ensure enforcement of the silence period in Nuapada, he said steps should be taken to ensure that Ministers MLAs and leaders of BJP from outside vacate the constituency as per ECI norms.
The BJD supremo urged the ECI to direct the district administration and police to act impartially and uphold the sanctity of the election process.