Bhubaneswar, Oct 23: The political atmosphere for the Nuapada Assembly bypoll in Odisha has taken a definitive shape as the nomination papers of five candidates were rejected during scrutiny, leaving 14 candidates officially in the fray for the November 11 by-election, officials said on Thursday.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, the rejected nominations include those of Rajaram Sahu from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Sitaram Behera of the Rashtriya Parivartan Dal, and three Independent candidates — Kamal Kumar Chhatria, Purusottam Behera, and Bhujabal Adabang. The rejections were attributed to technical discrepancies in their nomination documents.

Initially, 19 candidates had filed nominations — eight from different political parties and 11 as Independents. Following the scrutiny, the confirmed list includes prominent names such as Jay Dholakia (BJP), Snehangini Chhuria (BJD), Ghasiram Majhi (Congress), Ramakant Hati (Samajwadi Party), Hemant Tandi (Bahujan Mukti Party), and Sukadhar Dandasena (Odisha Janata Dal), along with eight Independent candidates-- Ashraya Mahanand, Chakrant Jena, Bhubanlal Sahu, Lochan Majhi, Kishore Kumar Bagh, Bhaktabandhu Dharua, Nita Bagh and Laxmikanta Tandi.

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The bypoll has already seen political friction. On Tuesday, the BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission seeking the disqualification of Congress nominee Ghasiram Majhi, alleging he failed to disclose two pending police complaints in his affidavit — a detail he had mentioned during the 2024 general elections. The BJP claimed this omission violated Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. However, the EC rejected the plea, allowing Majhi to remain in the contest.

With the last date for withdrawal of nominations set for October 24, the final list of candidates is expected to be confirmed soon. The Nuapada bypoll is being closely watched as a litmus test for major parties following the 2024 general elections.

Meanwhile, Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania has reviewed security arrangements to ensure a free, fair, and transparent election. Police have been directed to enforce the Model Code of Conduct, crack down on illegal activities, and execute pending warrants. Additional DGP Sanjay Kumar emphasized preventive actions and monitoring of suspicious individuals. 

The Nuapada bypoll, scheduled for November 11, was necessitated following the demise of sitting MLA Rajendra Dholakia. BJP has fielded his son Jay Dholakia, while Congress nominated Ghasiram Majhi. BJD fielded former Minister Snehangini Chhuria for the bypoll.