Tejashwi Yadav’s Name Missing from Bihar Voter List Sparks Political Clash

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav ignited a political storm on Saturday, claiming his name was missing from the draft electoral rolls released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on August 1, following a month-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar ahead of the 2025 assembly polls. During a press conference in Patna, the former deputy chief minister displayed a “no records found” message after entering his EPIC number on the ECI website, exclaiming, “I’m not registered as a voter! This disqualifies me from contesting elections and questions my citizenship.”

Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, alleged systemic flaws, noting he had submitted his enumeration form to a booth-level officer (BLO) and kept photographic evidence, but received no receipt. He claimed the deletion of 65 lakh names—8.5% of Bihar’s 7.93 crore voters, including 20,000-30,000 per constituency—lacked transparency, with no addresses or booth numbers provided for verification. “If even an IAS couple and I are excluded, what about common people, especially migrants?” he asked, hinting at a boycott of the polls if concerns persist.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, a senior BJP leader, swiftly refuted Yadav’s claim, sharing a screenshot on X showing Yadav’s name at serial number 416, house number 10, with EPIC number RAB0456228, alongside RJD chief Lalu Prasad. The ECI clarified Yadav likely used an outdated EPIC number, causing the error. Choudhary accused Yadav of “peddling fraudulent claims” and lacking the “qualifications” to navigate the ECI portal, urging him to retract his allegations.

Also Read: Nitish Kumar Lashes Out at Opposition’s Black-Clad Protest

The SIR, aimed at ensuring electoral roll integrity, removed 35 lakh migrated or untraceable voters, 22 lakh deceased, and 7 lakh duplicates, leaving 7.24 crore voters. The ECI insists the process, backed by 77,895 polling centers and 1.6 lakh BLOs, is standard, with a claims and objections period open until September 1 to address errors.

Opposition parties, including RJD and Congress, allege the exercise favors the ruling NDA, with Yadav claiming the ECI operates as a “BJP cell.” The Supreme Court, hearing petitions from RJD MP Manoj Jha and others, has emphasized inclusion over exclusion, with a hearing set for August 12.

The controversy, fueled by allegations of voter suppression and videos showing discarded enumeration forms, has intensified Bihar’s political tensions, with the RJD demanding booth-wise deletion data to ensure fair elections.

Also Read: Delhi Court Postpones IRCTC Scam Verdict to August 5