Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday criticized the Election Commission of India (EC), demanding accountability for the exclusion of several voters from the draft electoral rolls in Bihar.
Speaking to the media in Patna, Yadav said the EC must answer for these omissions, which he described as significant discrepancies.
“A response will be given [to the EC’s notice]. What’s the big deal? The Election Commission should answer why so many voters have been left out,” he said.
Tejashwi also addressed a recent notice served to him by the EC over a voter ID he displayed during a press conference, which the Commission claimed was not officially issued. He reiterated that he would respond appropriately.
“Names of 50 people from the same household have been included. There are numerous such errors. We will compile the evidence, send it to the Election Commission, and also present it in court,” Yadav added.
Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged against Yadav at Digha Police Station in Patna, accusing him of possessing two Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs). The complaint was filed by advocate Rajiv Ranjan, who has demanded legal action.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh also launched a scathing attack on Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of attempting to discredit a constitutional body.
“Both Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are spreading lies and confusion about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Even Tejashwi lied about his own voter ID,” Singh alleged.
He said the EC, as a constitutional institution, will consider legal action in response to such remarks.
“If someone claiming to be a future CM makes such petty and misleading statements, the institution has every right to take the legal route,” Singh asserted.
Tejashwi’s statements follow his earlier claims that his EPIC number had been changed and that his name was missing from the electoral roll, raising concerns over how he would be able to contest in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. Despite possessing a valid EPIC, he said his name was absent from the list, adding fuel to allegations of irregularities in the ongoing voter revision process.
