Tejashwi Yadav alleges EC reducing Opposition votes and issuing dual voter IDs to BJP workers

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate voter lists ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. He claimed that the poll panel was helping BJP leaders and workers secure two Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) in the state.

Speaking at a press conference, Tejashwi Yadav said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists included names of people from other states, allowing them to vote in Bihar. He cited the case of Bhikhubhai Dalsaniya, who last voted in Gujarat in 2024 but reportedly appeared on Bihar’s voter list before the upcoming polls.

He also highlighted the issue of Muzaffarpur Mayor Nirmala Devi, alleging she and two family members possessed dual voter ID cards in two different booths within the same assembly constituency. “How did such an anomaly occur? Who should be held responsible for this?” Yadav asked, stressing the need for accountability in the voter revision process.

Tejashwi Yadav claimed similar irregularities occurred in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections. He said, “Earlier, the BJP had a formula to rig elections using agencies like CBI and ED, but when these methods failed, the Election Commission was brought forward.” He added that such practices reduced opposition votes and facilitated duplicate EPIC numbers for BJP members.

The RJD leader said the ongoing SIR issues were under Supreme Court scrutiny and mentioned cases where names listed as deceased in voter rolls appeared alive in court. He described the situation as a matter of concern for the integrity of the electoral process, citing that people considered it “vote theft” while alleging support for the BJP by the Election Commission.