EC terms Tejashwi's EPIC as 'unofficial', seeks card for probe

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday asked RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to "hand over for investigation" a voter ID card that he claimed to possess but which the authorities say was "not issued officially." In a letter to the former Deputy Chief Minister, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Patna Sadar—who also serves as the Electoral Registration Officer for the Digha assembly constituency—wrote: "Our preliminary investigation suggests that the EPIC number you mentioned at the press conference on August 2 was not issued officially". As per EC Notice, it was found that he allegedly has two different EPIC numbers, RAB0456228 and RAB2916120. It clarified that the EPIC number, RAB2916120, which the RJD leader mentioned in his press conference, was not officially issued and asked him to hand over the card for further investigation. You are therefore requested to hand over the EPIC card in original for detailed investigation.

#SIR@CEOBihar @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @yadavtejashwi pic.twitter.com/XsvwavPkkq

— District Administration Patna (@dm_patna) August 3, 2025

On Saturday, Tejashwi held a press conference in Patna where he claimed his name was missing from the revised electoral rolls. “How can I contest election if my name is missing from the electoral rolls?” he asked. BJP lashed out at Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, accusing him of having two EPIC numbers and two Voter IDs. Addressing a press conference, Sambit Patra said, "This means he (Tejashwi Yadav) had two EPIC numbers. Did he have two voter IDs? The way in which Congress and RJD are scathing an attack on the EC, is a conspiracy to defame India."