Tejashwi Yadav Voter ID Row: Election Commission Seeks Clarification, BJP Raises Serious Questions

A political storm has erupted after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav claimed his name was missing from the Bihar draft voter list. The Election Commission of India (ECI) immediately responded, saying his name was very much there and asked for proof of the alternate voter ID number he showed in a press conference.

The matter has now led to a bigger controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing Tejashwi of holding two voter ID cards, which is a punishable offence.

What is an EPIC card?

An EPIC card is the Election Photo Identity Card given to voters in India. It has a unique 10-digit number. This number helps track a person's registration in the voter list.

Tejashwi Yadav showed a card in a press conference with EPIC number RAB2916120, but the EC says his name is officially listed under EPIC number RAB0456228.

#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: "My name is not there in the electoral roll. How will I contest the elections?" asks RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, as his EPIC number is unable to fetch his name in the electoral roll. twitter/eF2VkeNIRw

- ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2025

What did the Election Commission say?

The Election Commission issued a notice to Tejashwi Yadav, asking him to provide the original copy of the card he displayed publicly. The EC said the number RAB2916120 does not appear to have been issued officially.

Bihar | Electoral Registration Officer, Patna writes to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, requesting him to provide the details of the EPIC card mentioned by him in the press conference held yesterday, so that it can be thoroughly investigated. twitter/jKj9kQtgSu

- ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2025

On the other hand, the EC confirmed that Tejashwi's correct voter ID RAB0456228 s active and his name appears at serial number 416 of polling station number 204 in Patna.

BJP's sharp reaction

Soon after the EC's response, BJP held a press conference. Party spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that Tejashwi may have committed a crime by owning two voter IDs. He questioned whether Yadav had submitted false details during past elections.

Patra said that if a leader like Tejashwi has two IDs, then people might wonder if the party encourages double voting to show inflated support. BJP also accused the Congress and RJD of disrespecting constitutional institutions.

#WATCH | Delhi: "... Tejashwi Yadav voted in two places. So imagine what his party workers must be doing. This is why he is so rattled... Did Tejashwi Yadav file the wrong affidavit during his nomination in the 2020 assembly elections? Did he lie under oath?...," says BJP MP... twitter/uPLRr10YLC

- ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2025

Amit Malviya, the in-charge of BJP's National Information & Technology Department, called out Yadav's claim that 'his name is missing from the electoral roll post Special Intensive Revision is false'.

🚨 Fake News Alert 🚨Tejashwi Yadav's claim that his name is missing from the electoral roll post Special Intensive Revision is false name appears at Serial Number 416 verify facts before amplifying misinformation attempts to mislead voters must be... twitter/UkJZYL4qJZ

- Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 2, 2025

Tejashwi Yadav Voter ID row

This controversy comes at a sensitive time. Bihar is currently going through a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of its electoral rolls. The EC has already removed over 65 lakh illegal names. RJD and other opposition parties say the clean-up process is unfair and may hurt communities that usually vote for them.

Tejashwi's claim seemed to support that fear. But the EC's quick fact-check has now made the situation more complex.

EC's findings on both EPIC numbers

According to EC officials and PTI reports:

• The EPIC number RAB0456228 is active, genuine, and used by Tejashwi in the 2015 and 2020 elections.
• The number RAB2916120 has no official record and likely does not exist in any past voter rolls.

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... ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2025

#WATCH | On the allegation by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav that his name is not there in the electoral roll, Patna DM Dr Thiyagarajan SM says, "The name of the leader of the opposition is definitely there. The claim that his name is not there is completely wrong. His name is still... twitter/bQBGyZHNKn

- ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2025

Officials say all data from the last 10 years was checked before concluding this.

The Election Commission has asked Tejashwi to submit the card he showed publicly. A full investigation will follow once the card is examined.

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