India, June 22 -- Odisha assembly speaker Surama Padhy has rejected the Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) petition seeking the disqualification of eight MLAs who allegedly cross-voted in favour of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed Independent candidate Dilip Ray in the Rajya Sabha election held in March, dealing a setback to the opposition party.

In an order issued on June 19, the Speaker dismissed the petitions on procedural grounds, holding that they did not comply with mandatory requirements under the Members of Odisha Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1987.

The petitions were filed on April 25 by BJD legislature party chief whip Pramila Mallik under Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitut...