Mr. Tejashwi Yadav claimed his EPIC number used in the Lok Sabha polls was missing, but the ECI found his name listed under a different number. The commission added that no party has yet filed claims or objections regarding the draft roll.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) wrote to Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, on Sunday (August 3, 2025), requesting details of his EPIC number. The move comes a day after Yadav alleged that his name was missing from the state’s draft electoral roll published on Friday (August 1, 2025).
Soon after his claim, the ECI stated on Saturday (August 2, 2025) that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav was making “baseless” allegations, and released an extract of the draft roll showing his name.
However, confusion arose as the EPIC number quoted by Mr. Tejashwi Yadav differed from the one listed by the poll body in the draft roll.
Mr. Tejashwi Yadav claimed that he had voted in last year’s Lok Sabha election using a voter ID card with the EPIC number RAB2916120, which is now missing from the draft roll. However, the ECI’s list shows his name with a different EPIC number—RAB0456228.
Mystery of the missing EPIC
Mr. Tejashwi Yadav is registered as a voter in the Digha Assembly constituency but represents Raghopur in the State Assembly as an MLA.
The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of the Digha constituency wrote to the RJD leader, stating: “In the press conference held on August 2, 2025, you claimed that your name was missing from the draft voter list. However, upon investigation, it was found that your name appears at serial number 416 of polling station number 204 (Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University), with the EPIC number RAB0456228.”
During his press conference, Mr. Tejashwi Yadav entered his EPIC number, RAB2916120, on the ECI’s official website and completed the captcha in front of assembled journalists, demonstrating that the number yielded no result. He then accused the ECI of functioning as a “cell of the BJP” and questioned how he could contest the upcoming Assembly election when his name was not visible in the draft voter list.
The ERO’s letter further stated: “As per your press conference, the EPIC number you mentioned is RAB2916120. However, preliminary investigation suggests that this number does not appear to be officially issued. Therefore, you are requested to provide details of the said EPIC card, along with the original copy, to the undersigned for a thorough investigation.” The letter does not specify any deadline by which Mr. Tejashwi Yadav must submit the card.
‘Crime to possess two voter IDs’
Reacting to the ERO’s letter, RJD spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan accused the ECI of acting at the behest of the BJP, claiming it was attempting to divert attention from the concerns raised by Mr. Tejashwi Yadav and other INDIA bloc leaders regarding the draft voter roll.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) urged the ECI to take cognizance of Mr. Tejashwi Yadav’s possession of two voter ID cards and initiate legal action against him. At a joint press conference addressed by spokespersons from the BJP and its allies in Bihar, the alliance questioned the origin of the two EPIC numbers, pointing out that holding multiple voter ID cards is a punishable offense.
Meanwhile, the ECI stated that, as of 3 p.m. on August 3, no political party in Bihar had submitted any requests to add or remove names from the draft rolls. However, the commission confirmed it had received 941 claims and objections from individual voters.
