The BJD on Monday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities. Leaders claimed, "The ECI must have done similar manipulation during the 2024 general election in Odisha by tampering EVMs." They argued that unauthorized changes to Form 6 show the system is not transparent.
BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Monday reiterated its demand for resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar after the Supreme Court clarified that the modified Form 6 was not approved by it.
As the people of the country have allegedly been misled on a critical electoral process and the credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has been dented, the CEC should take moral responsibility and step down, they demanded. The BJD leaders further alleged, "The ECI must have done similar manipulation during the 2024 general election in Odisha by tampering EVMs, to make a particular party win the polls."
When pointed out that Kumar was appointed as Election Commissioner in March, 2024 and became the CEC in February, 2025, they said the system was the same. The BJD has been alleging irregularities in the 2024 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
"If Form 6 can be modified without Supreme Court approval, then similar manipulations could have been done to influence voter lists and EVMs in Odisha," the BJD leaders said demanding that the ECI publish all communications related to Form 6 and explain under whose instruction the modified form was introduced.