BJD Urges Election Process Overhaul with Independent Audits

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has urged the Election Commission to implement periodic independent audits of the election process to ensure transparency and public confidence. A BJD delegation emphasized discrepancies in current procedures and proposed involving citizens in monitoring to safeguard the integrity of elections.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has made a strong appeal to the Election Commission, demanding an overhaul of auditing procedures during elections to restore voter confidence and transparency. A delegation from the party met with officials, insisting on periodic 'process audits' by independent auditors or the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

In their letter to the electoral body, the BJD highlighted discrepancies in the electoral process, suggesting these could stem from machine errors, manual errors, or procedural flaws. To address these issues, the party called for audit reports to be publicly accessible, aligning with practices in other democracies.

BJD's proposals also include involving citizen groups to co-monitor elections, a concurrent audit mechanism during polling and counting, and advanced tallying of VVPAT slips with electronic counts. They also demand a 30-day limit for the District Election Officer to provide electoral documents upon request.