Tejashwi Yadav’s name is in Bihar draft electoral rolls with EPIC number used in last polls, probe on to see if second EPIC forged: ECI sources

New Delhi [India], August 2 (ANI): RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s name is there in the Draft Electoral Rolls published as per Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and no records have been found for second EPIC number yet, Election Commission sources said on Saturday, noting that it is quite likely that the second EPIC (Election Photo Identity Card)  was never made through official channel.

ECI sources rejected Tejaswi Prasad’s allegation that his EPIC number was changed, saying that the RJD leader used the Electoral Roll with EPIC No. RAB0456228 for filling his nomination papers on affidavit in 2020.

The sources said he 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.

They said 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”.

The sources said that RJD leader’s “baseless argument” that his name was removed from the electoral rolls has already been refuted by the Election Commission of India.

“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,” a source said.

Tejashwi Yadav, a former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, had made allegations against the ECI over the draft electoral rolls published yesterday, first saying that 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. This comes after the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday released the draft voter list for Bihar, following a month-long special intensive revision (SIR) process.

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 sad in a post on X.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, in a post on X, alleged that approximately 65 lakh voter names have been arbitrarily removed from the electoral rolls, and the new draft list still lacks clarity and explanation. He accused the Election Commission of going back on its promises of transparency and fairness. "There has been deliberate manipulation in the process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025 of the electoral rolls. The Election Commission is now going back on its own commitments. Even after removing nearly 65 lakh voters, the new draft list remains ambiguous. It is unfortunate that the Commission continues to alter its decisions, withdraws from transparency, and disregards suggestions, complaints, and demands from the opposition while releasing a half-baked list," Yadav said. 

Bihar will go to the polls later this year.  (ANI)