Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has come under intense scrutiny from the Election Commission of India (ECI) following his public claim that his name had been omitted from Bihar’s draft electoral rolls. The commission swiftly refuted his allegation and has now issued a formal notice demanding an explanation for the EPIC number he cited, which appears not to match any officially issued voter ID.
Tejashwi had claimed that EPIC number RAB 2916120, which he displayed during a press conference, yielded a “no records found” result against Bihar’s updated voter list. However, the ECI confirmed his actual record exists at serial number 416 of polling station 204 in the Digha constituency under EPIC RAB 0456228—the same number he has held since 2020.
Following the rebuttal, the BJP accused Yadav of potentially holding two voter ID cards—a serious offence under Indian electoral law—and demanded a criminal investigation under relevant IPC sections. BJP leaders described the incident as part of a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.
In its notice, the ECI asked Tejashwi to submit the original EPIC card corresponding to the number he had publicly mentioned, and to clarify how it came into his possession. His response is due shortly.
The incident has reignited tensions surrounding Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, during which approximately 6.5 million names were removed—a process that has already drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society.
Senior BJP and JD(U) leaders swiftly criticised Tejashwi’s remarks as irresponsible and misleading, suggesting they undermined public trust in democratic institutions. Social media users also mocked the RJD leader over the controversy.
RJD spokespersons have countered, accusing the ECI of modifying records after Yadav’s press conference and questioning the legality of any change in EPIC numbers.
