RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday claimed that his name was missing from the draft electoral roll published by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ECI published the draft as part of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Tejashwi alleged that his Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number had been changed, and his name was not listed. He connected his phone to a screen during a press conference and showed a “no records found” message when trying to search for his EPIC number in the online voter database.
ECI Says Tejashwi’s Name Exists in Draft Roll
The Election Commission dismissed Tejashwi’s allegations. ECI sources clarified that Tejashwi had used EPIC No. RAB0456228 to file his nomination papers in 2020. They confirmed that his name with the same EPIC number appears in the Draft Electoral Roll published on August 1. ECI officials stated that he had the same EPIC number in 2015. They also found that the other EPIC number, RAB2916120, does not exist in their records. The Commission has checked over ten years of records and found no entries related to the second EPIC number that Tejashwi mentioned.
ECI Investigates Second EPIC Number Mentioned by Yadav
The Election Commission has initiated a probe to verify how the second EPIC number entered public discussion. ECI officials said, “It is highly likely that the second EPIC was never issued through an official process.” They added that further inquiry is underway to check whether the second EPIC number was forged. The Commission aims to determine if the document is fake and whether it was generated outside legal or official channels. The poll body also advised political leaders not to make unverified claims while the revision process remains in progress across the state.
Over 65 Lakh Names Removed in Draft Electoral Rolls
The Election Commission published the draft roll on Friday and removed over 65 lakh voters during the Special Intensive Revision. As of June 24, 2025, Bihar had 7.89 crore registered voters. However, the poll body received only 7.24 crore Enumeration Forms (EFs). According to ECI data, Patna district has the highest number of electors at 46,51,694. It is followed by Purvi Champaran (33,73,055), Muzaffarpur (32,03,370), and Madhubani (30,24,245). Sheohar has the lowest count of voters at 2,95,929, followed by Arwal, Lakhisarai, Jehanabad, and Munger in descending order.
Tejashwi Claims Disenfranchisement; Shows Online Evidence
During his press conference, Tejashwi said that he had submitted his voter form properly and backed it with visual proof. He said, “Now look! I am myself not registered as a voter. This disqualifies me from contesting elections.” He added, “Perhaps, I cease to be treated as a citizen and stand deprived of the right to live in this house.”
Tejashwi also claimed he had photographed himself while submitting the signed and completed form. The RJD leader raised concerns regarding transparency and voter deletion ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
