The Election Commission tried to rebut the claim, confirming Yadav’s inclusion in the draft roll under a new EPIC number. Critics say such confusion underscores deeper transparency issues in the SIR process.
BY PC Bureau
Patna, August 2, 2025 — Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar’s Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, triggered a political storm on Friday after alleging that his name was missing from the draft voter list released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Yadav made the claim at a press conference, stating that entering his Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number into the ECI portal returned a “no records found” error. The ECI swiftly rebutted the claim, asserting that Yadav’s name was indeed listed and accusing him of spreading misinformation by using an outdated EPIC number.
The controversy has deepened ongoing opposition criticism of the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral roll. Opposition parties, including the RJD and Congress, have raised alarms over the removal of nearly 65 lakh names—approximately 8.5% of the state’s electorate—accusing the commission of voter suppression and lack of transparency.
Opposition Claims “Votebandi”; ECI Denies Political Motive
Tejashwi Yadav, who represents the Raghopur Assembly constituency and is a voter in Digha, questioned, “How will I contest elections if my name isn’t on the roll?” He claimed that a Booth Level Officer (BLO) had personally collected his filled enumeration form and accused the ECI of acting as a “cell of the BJP.” He further alleged the systematic deletion of marginalized voters and cited missing names of RJD staff and a senior IAS officer’s family as evidence of deeper political intent.
BREAKING : Teajaswi Yadav has exposed Election Commission like never before
“The ECI has cut my name from voter list. How will i vote and contest election?” 🤯
This is the credibility of ECI 🤡 pic.twitter.com/IZcxsUc5pk
— Amock_ (@Amockx2022) August 2, 2025
In response, the ECI clarified that Yadav’s name appears at Serial No. 416 in the draft roll, with a new EPIC number RABO456228, and attributed the confusion to Yadav using an outdated number. The commission stated that names were deleted only after field verification, citing reasons such as death, migration, or duplication. The public has until September 1, 2025, to file claims and objections.
READ: Manipur Tribal Body Asks to ECI Defer Voter Roll Revision
The SIR, launched on June 25, has been contentious due to its timing and scale. Opposition leaders have termed the deletions “Votebandi”—comparing it to demonetization—and warned that it could deny millions access to welfare schemes. They also allege irregularities in form verification and pressure on BLOs to meet deletion targets. The Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions on the issue, including one by RJD MP Manoj Jha and activist Yogendra Yadav, raising concerns over disenfranchisement of poor and minority voters.
The ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance has dismissed the allegations, accusing the opposition of creating a false narrative. BJP’s Amit Malviya and JD(U) leaders have reiterated that no genuine voter will be excluded and the revision process remains open to scrutiny.
With over 20,000–30,000 deletions per constituency, opposition parties warn of serious electoral consequences, especially in closely contested seats. A protest led by Rahul Gandhi in Patna last month underscored the national significance of the issue. As Bihar moves toward elections, the integrity of the voter list—and the transparency of its revision—has emerged as a central flashpoint in the political landscape.
