Bhubaneswar, Feb. 26: The BJP today challenged the results of 36 zilla parishad seats and threatened to move the high court for recounting of votes in these seats.

BJP state general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan today claimed that his party, which has won 298 seats so far, had lost in 36 more zilla parishad seats where it was leading till the end. The party workers had even celebrated victories in these seats. However, later, the BJD candidates were declared elected from those seats and the party's pleas for recounting of votes were not entertained.

He said the State Election Commission had made it clear that it did not have the power to settle election disputes.

Delay in the State Election Commission's announcement of the zilla parishad and panchayat samity poll results has got the BJP and the Congress worried about whether the results have been tampered with.

Although the commission had fixed February 25 as the date of announcement of results, they are yet to be officially announced.

"The respective block development officers (electoral officers) are authorised to conduct counting of votes and announce the results at the block levels. If necessary, they will count the votes afresh on the demands of the candidates," said an official in the State Election Commission.

The official said most of the results were announced at the block level yesterday. "At some places, the announcement of results was deferred due to demand for re-counting. Once all the results are received by us, we will publish a booklet," the official said.

The press briefing by the State Election Commission was cancelled yesterday at the last minute to the disappointment of political parties.

"The commission will prepare a comprehensive list of elected candidates after receipt of the complete data," said a commission official indicating that release of this list may be further delayed.

The situation has left BJP and Congress leaders apprehensive. "Delay in announcing results will help the BJD," said BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit.

Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati echoed similar apprehensions and said: "The delay casts doubt on the neutrality of the commission."

BJD spokesperson Samir Ranjan Dash, however, said the Opposition should have faith in the commission and allow it to function independently.

The State Election Commission's efficacy in dealing with poll misconduct has already been questioned as it has no power to disqualify a candidate for exceeding the poll expense limit, like the Election Commission of India can. Not a single candidate has ever been unseated for such offence and no expenditure observer has had ever reported about such misconduct.

The commission's lack of power to countermand elections for irregularity in announcing a candidate elected uncontested also came to the fore when Pattamundai block development officer Prashant Rout was accused of conniving with Kendrapara MLA Kishore Tarai by allegedly withdrawing the nomination of two panchayat samiti member candidates fraudulently to favour Tarai's wife. Though the commission recommended the removal of the official from poll duty, it could not countermand the election of Tarai's wife unopposed.