Odisha govt warns people against fake website on CEO

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the launch of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) programme of the electoral rolls in Odisha, the govt has on Tuesday flagged a fraudulent website impersonating the chief electoral officer (CEO).The discovery has prompted the authorities to issue an urgent public safety warning. The warning comes at a crucial time, as the SIR programme is scheduled to begin from April 1 with an aim to update and revise the electoral rolls.Officials said the fake website — www.ceoodisha.com — closely resembled the official portal www.ceoodisha.nic.in, misleading users seeking voter-related information and details of the SIR voter rolls last conducted in the state in 2002.

Alarmingly, the fraudulent site was found to be soliciting one-time passwords (OTPs) from visitors in order to access voter lists, raising suspicions of a cyber scam.“In view of the forthcoming SIR 2026, any misinformation during this period could create confusion among electors and adversely affect the revision process,” a spokesperson for the CEO’s office said.“The fake website is attempting to replicate the official platform and is disseminating misleading and incorrect information to the public.

The only official website of the office of the CEO, Odisha is <img src="https://ceoodisha.nic.in." alt="Image" /> We urge everyone not to rely upon or interact with any other website claiming to represent the CEO office. Any instance of suspicious or misleading content may be brought to the notice of the office of the CEO,” the CEO’s officer said.Police have launched an investigation into the matter. “Preliminary findings suggest this could be the handiwork of cyber fraudsters.

Asking for OTPs is a clear red flag, and we urge citizens not to share sensitive information on any site other than the official portal,” a senior police officer stated.Authorities have advised the public to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of websites before entering personal details. “We want to reassure voters that the official website remains fully functional and secure. Citizens should only rely on www.ceoodisha.nic.in for electoral roll updates and voter services,” the CEO’s office added.Recently, Odisha CEO R S Gopalan said that around 90 per cent of the voters in the state have been mapped with the 2002 SIR electoral list.