Naveen Patnaik Seeks CEC’s Resignation Over Electoral Roll Row
Bhubaneswar: BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, citing serious internal objections within the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Patnaik alleged that decisions on voter registration, deletions, and IT infrastructure were taken without full approval, raising concerns about transparency.
Reports indicate that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi flagged objections at least 14 times over 10 months, particularly regarding centralisation of the voter database.
Despite this, the EC maintained that final decisions, including those on SIR, were unanimous.
The draft rolls revealed that 13.37 crore names were excluded across 30 states and Union Territories, amounting to a 14.1% reduction.
The EC clarified that these figures are provisional and subject to restoration through claims and objections.
Patnaik also criticised the BJP for supporting the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, warning of significant revenue loss for Odisha.
The BJD has announced a mass protest in Bhubaneswar on September 28, demanding withdrawal of the amendment.
