In Odisha, Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy has dismissed the disqualification petitions filed by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress against MLAs accused of cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha elections held in March this year. The Speaker held that the petitions suffered from serious procedural deficiencies and lacked the evidentiary standards required under the anti-defection law. She observed that the complaints were vague and unsubstantiated, and that the documents and digital evidence submitted were not properly verified or authenticated.

The BJD had sought the disqualification of eight legislators, while the Congress had moved a similar plea against three MLAs, alleging that they had voluntarily given up party membership under the Tenth Schedule. In the Rajya Sabha polls, cross-voting led to the defeat of an Independent candidate backed by the BJD and the Congress despite their combined numerical strength in the Assembly to win one seat.