As the updated list of voters for the upcoming Bihar elections was released by the Election Commission Of India a political storm erupted when on Saturday Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that his name was missing from the updated electoral roll. The claim, made during a press conference in Patna, drew a sharp response from BJP leader Sambit Patra, who questioned the authenticity of Yadav’s voter ID details and accused the Opposition of misleading the public.
“Tejashwi Yadav claimed his name had been removed from the voter list,” said Patra, addressing the media in Delhi. “But the Election Commission (EC) and the District Magistrate of Patna have clearly stated that his name is still very much present in the electorl roll and listed at serial number 416 in the Digha Assembly constituency.”
#WATCH | Delhi: “… This means he (Tejashwi Yadav) had two EPIC numbers… Did he have two voter IDs?…,” asks BJP MP Sambit Patra, on allegations made by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav that his name had been removed from the voter list.
He also says, “… The way in which Congress… pic.twitter.com/l4fjT9yN54
— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2025
Patra further added that the epic number (voter ID) Yadav cited during his press conference was RAB2916120 and did not match the number used in his 2020 nomination affidavit, which was RAB0456228. This discrepancy, Patra argued, raised serious questions.
“If he has two EPIC numbers, does that mean he has two voter IDs?” Patra asked pointedly. “This isn’t just a mistake, but it’s a matter of national concern. If a senior leader has two voter IDs, what does it say about the integrity of the system?”
“Deliberate Misinformation” or “Genuine Error”?
During his press conference, Tejashwi had publicly shared what he claimed was his EPIC number and demonstrated, using the official website, that it didn’t produce any results—implying his name had been removed from the rolls. He also questioned whether he would be able to contest in the upcoming Bihar elections given the alleged omission.
However, later that day, both the EC and Patna District Magistrate Dr. Chandrashekhar Thiyagarajan clarified the matter. According to their statement, Tejashwi’s correct EPIC number corresponds to his 2020 nomination details and remains active. His name, they confirmed, is listed at polling station number 2004, Library Building, Animal Science University, under the Digha Vidhan Sabha constituency.
BJP’s Counterattack: “Attempt to Malign Institutions”
Patra did not hold back in his criticism of the Opposition, particularly the RJD and Congress, accusing them of running a coordinated campaign to discredit democratic institutions. “For the past few years, we’ve seen a pattern of the opposition parties like Congress and RJD attacking the credibility of institutions like the Election Commission,” he said. “This is a calculated attempt to defame India on the global stage.”
He went on to accuse these parties of reverting to their old tactics. “They were used to booth capturing, muscle power, and manipulating elections. Now that the system has tightened, their tactics are being exposed,” he added.
Patra also took a jab at the party’s grassroots workers. “If the top leaders have two voter ID numbers, what’s left for the ordinary karyakarta? Is this why they fear the S.I.R. (Special Intensive Revision) process?”
“If Sarvocch Neta Have Two Voter IDs, What About the Workers?”: Alleges Patra
Taking a sharp dig at the Opposition, Sambit Patra questioned whether Tejashwi Yadav had deliberately used two voter ID numbers and accused him of undermining democratic norms. “I’m asking both Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi did both of them have two voter ID cards?” Patra said. “Who’s playing with the integrity of India’s democracy and the credibility of the Election Commission?”
He didn’t stop there. Using a metaphor to underline the gravity of the situation, Patra remarked, “If it’s this dark in the morning, imagine what the night looks like. When sarvochh neta ke hain 2 EPIC number to karyakarta ka haal kya hoga’. Is this why they are afraid of SIR?… Imagine these Congress and RJD leader and their workers, who were used to capturing booths and winning on the basis of hooliganism, their whole game has been exposed.”
#WATCH | Delhi: “… ‘sarvochh neta ke hain 2 EPIC number to karyakarta ka haal kya hoga’. Is this why they are afraid of SIR?… Imagine these Congress and RJD leader and their workers, who were used to capturing booths and winning on the basis of hooliganism, their whole game… pic.twitter.com/dZi1fStJMB
— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2025
Patra alleged that the fear among Opposition parties stemmed from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which he claimed exposed long-standing malpractice. “These are the same leaders who were once used to booth capturing and winning through muscle power,” he said. “Their entire game plan is built on fake voter IDs and manipulation that is now crashing down.”
He concluded with a pointed message: “This is no longer just a question for one party. Today, the people of India deserve an answer.”
