Patna/New Delhi: A major controversy has erupted in Bihar politics, with the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday demanding that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav “hand over for investigation” a voter ID card he claimed to possess, despite it allegedly being “not issued officially.” This development comes a day after the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly publicly claimed his voter ID card was missing from the new draft electoral roll.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has swiftly seized on the issue, launching a scathing attack on Yadav. The BJP alleges that the RJD leader possesses two Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers and two Voter IDs, accusing him of a “conspiracy to defame India” by making accusations against the EC.
The Allegation and EC’s Clarification
On Saturday, Tejashwi Yadav held a press conference where he questioned whether he would be permitted to vote in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, slated for October-November this year, citing the apparent absence of his name in the draft electoral roll. He reportedly displayed an EPIC number that he claimed was his but yielded “no records found” when searched online.
However, the EC quickly clarified that Yadav’s officially registered EPIC number is RAB0456228, and he had indeed used this same number in his affidavit for the 2020 assembly elections.
In a letter addressed to Yadav, the sub-divisional magistrate of Patna Sadar-cum-electoral registration officer for Digha assembly constituency stated, “Our preliminary investigation suggests that the EPIC number you mentioned at the press conference on August 2 was not issued officially. You are therefore requested to hand over the EPIC card in original for detailed investigation.”
Later, the RJD leader alleged that his EPIC number had been “changed.” This claim was, however, refuted by Patna district magistrate Thiyagaraja S.M., who reiterated, “The EPIC number in the electoral rolls is the one that was submitted by the honourable leader of the opposition in his affidavit in the 2020 assembly polls. If he is in possession of another EPIC card with another number as well, then it is a matter of investigation.”
BJP’s Sharp Criticism and Allegations of “Two EPICs”
The BJP wasted no time in criticizing the RJD and its leader over the controversy. Party lawmaker Sambit Patra accused Tejashwi Yadav of spreading misinformation about the electoral process.
“This means he (Tejashwi Yadav) had two EPIC numbers… Did he have two voter IDs? The way in which Congress and RJD are scathing an attack on the EC, is a conspiracy to defame India,” Patra told reporters in Delhi. He further implied that if a prominent leader possesses two voter IDs, it raises questions about potential voter manipulation by party workers.
As of Sunday evening, Tejashwi Yadav had not publicly commented on the letter from the SDO Patna Sadar. However, RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan alleged that the EC’s letter was a ploy to divert attention from questions Yadav had raised regarding alleged anomalies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise for the electoral rolls.
Gagan highlighted, “In the draft rolls issued in which Tejashwi’s name figures with a particular house number, several other electors’ names having different surnames have been mentioned having the same house number. Does one family have members with different surnames? This must be clarified by ECI.” This suggests that the RJD intends to push for broader scrutiny of the electoral roll revision process.
The political showdown intensified as the Bihar Assembly elections draw closer, with both sides trading accusations regarding the integrity of the voter list.