Orissa High Court Issues Notice to Five BJD MLAs in Rajya Sabha Cross-Voting Case
Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has issued notices to five Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislators in connection with the controversial Rajya Sabha cross-voting episode that sparked political debate in Odisha.
The notices were issued to MLAs Arvind Mohapatra, Subasini Jena, Sanatan Mahakud, Souvic Biswal, and Chakramani Kanhar.
The court has directed the respondents to submit their replies by December 4, while the matter has been scheduled for further hearing on January 11.
The case stems from allegations that certain BJD legislators cross-voted during the Rajya Sabha elections, allegedly going against the party’s official stand.
Following the election, the BJD had sought the disqualification of the legislators by approaching the Odisha Assembly Speaker.
However, the Speaker dismissed the disqualification petitions in June, a decision that prompted the regional party to challenge the ruling before the Orissa High Court through separate writ petitions.
According to Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, the notices have been issued in connection with five writ petitions filed by the party.
He clarified that the current proceedings pertain specifically to the MLAs named in those petitions.
The High Court’s intervention marks a significant development in the political and legal battle arising from the Rajya Sabha election controversy.
The outcome of the case could have implications for party discipline and legislative accountability in Odisha’s political landscape.
