Two more petitions were filed in Orissa High Court challenging the election of Rourkela and Sanakhemundi MLAs. With this, the number of such pleas filed in the HC after 2019 elections have reached eight. 
BJD leader and former minister Sarada Prasad Nayak’s election from Rourkela Assembly constituency has been challenged by his BJP rival Nihar Ray. Ray, who lost to Nayak by a margin of over 10,000 votes, has sought declaration of election of Nayak as void on the ground that he suppressed information at the time of filing nomination.