Tejashwi Yadav listed in Bihar draft electoral rolls with old EPIC, probe on for possible forgery of second card: Report

Mint

3 days ago

A day after the Election Commission published the Draft Electoral Rolls as per Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav's name has not been found for the second EPIC number yet, PTI quoted the ECI as saying on Saturday.
The Election Commission even noted that it is quite likely that the second EPIC (Election Photo Identity Card) was never made through an official channel.
Rejecting Tejaswi Yadav's allegation that his EPIC number was changed, ECI stated that the RJD leader used the Electoral Roll with EPIC No. RAB0456228 for filling his nomination papers on affidavit in 2020.
The ECI sources stated Tejashwi was having this EPIC number even in the electoral roll in 2015, and his name with this EPIC number exists in the draft Electoral Rolls.
The other EPIC number - RAB2916120 has been found to be non-existent, and more than 10 years of records have been checked, and further inquiries are being made to understand "whether that is a forged document", added the ECI sources.
"The other EPIC number - RAB2916120 has been found to be non-existing. More than ten years old records have been checked. No records have been found for the second EPIC number yet. It is highly likely that the second EPIC was never made through the official channel. Further inquiries are on to understand that reality of the second EPIC number, whether that is a forged document," PTI quoted the source as saying.
The former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister had made allegations against the ECI over the draft electoral rolls published on 1 August, saying his name is missing and then stating that his EPIC number has been changed.
"If my EPIC number could be changed, then how many people's EPIC number was changed? These are the questions we are posing to the Election Commission. This is a conspiracy to cut people's names from the voter list," he alleged.
Yadav, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, alleged that his name was missing from the voter list amid the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. "My name is not there in the electoral roll. How will I contest the elections?" Tejashwi Yadav asked.
ECI clarified that Tejashwi's name is included in the draft voter list at serial number 416. "It has come to our attention that Tejashwi Yadav has made a mischievous claim that his name does not appear in the draft electoral roll. His name is listed at Serial Number 416 in the Draft Electoral Roll. Therefore, any claim stating that his name is not included in the draft electoral roll is false and factually incorrect," the poll panel said.
The District Administration of Patna also clarified the situation and mentioned that his name is included at polling station number 204, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University. District Magistrate of Patna said, 'It has been learned from some news sources that the name of the Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, is not in the draft voter list of special intensive revision. An investigation was conducted in this regard by the District Administration, Patna. It has become clear in this that the name of the Leader of the Opposition is recorded in the draft voter list.'
"At present, his name is recorded at polling station number 204, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University, serial number 416. Earlier, his name was recorded at polling station number 171, serial number 481, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University," Patna DM added.
The EC said the public has one month to submit claims and objections, assuring that "no name will be removed from the draft voter list without a stated reason." "The draft voter list has been released today in Bihar. One-month period for claims and objections begins; draft list shared with political parties. Still a full one month to get names added. No name will be removed from the draft voter list without a stated reason," the Commission said in a post on X.