Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, chief of the Odisha electoral body, on Thursday.
The demand follows accusations that the commission failed to properly vet the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, a process that could affect up to 2.5 million voters.
Patnaik said, "The integrity of elections is non‑negotiable; Gyanesh Kumar must step down immediately to restore public trust."
Opposition leader Ramesh Jena slammed the move as political sabotage, saying the commission's work "must not be politicised."
Kumar has been asked to submit his resignation to the Governor by Friday; the Election Commission will review the claim before any formal action is taken.
In Cuttack, a 68‑year‑old schoolteacher, Rani Devi, expressed relief, saying the state’s insistence on clean rolls gives her confidence in upcoming polls.