ECI's Notice To RJD's Tejashwi Yadav: Poll Body Says 'This EPIC Number Has Not Been Officially Issued'

Electoral Registration Officer, Patna, wrote to RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav, requesting him to provide the details of the EPIC card mentioned by him in the press conference. Earlier, Patna's District Administration had also clarified the situation and reportedly clarified that his name is included at polling station number 204, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University.

RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav (Photo Credit: ANI)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sent a notice to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and stated that the voter ID card that he showed in the press conference held on Saturday (August 2) is not officially issued. Tejashwi, the former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, had made allegations against the poll body over the draft electoral rolls, and claimed that his name is missing, and added that his EPIC number has been changed. 

Electoral Registration Officer, Patna, wrote to Bihar Assembly's Leader of Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav, requesting him to provide the details of the EPIC card mentioned by him in the press conference, so that it can be thoroughly investigated.

"It is to be informed that in the press conference held on August 2, 2025, you stated that your name is not mentioned in the draft voter list. After investigation, it was found that your name is mentioned at serial number 416 of polling station number 204 (Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University), whose EPIC number is RAB0456228," the notice read. 

"According to you, from the quote of your press conference, your EPIC number is RAB2916120. As per the preliminary investigation, EPIC number RAB2916120 does not appear to be officially issued," it added. 

"Therefore, you are requested to kindly provide the details of the mentioned EPIC card (along with the original copy of the card) mentioned by you in the press conference held on August 2, 2025, to the undersigned, so that it can be thoroughly investigated," it elaborated. 

Bihar | Electoral Registration Officer, Patna writes to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, requesting him to provide the details of the EPIC card mentioned by him in the press conference held yesterday, so that it can be thoroughly investigated. pic.twitter.com/jKj9kQtgSu

— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2025

Tejashwi Yadav's Allegations 

Tejashwi Yadav had alleged that this is a conspiracy to cut people's names from the voter list.

"If my EPIC number could be changed, then how many people's EPIC number was changed? These are the questions we are posing to the Election Commission. This is a conspiracy to cut people's names from the voter list," he alleged.

"My name is not there in the electoral roll. How will I contest the elections?" Tejashwi Yadav asked.

The RJD leader, who is the son of former Bihar Chief Ministers Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad Yadav, in a post on X, also alleged that approximately 65 lakh voter names have been arbitrarily removed from the electoral rolls, and the new draft list still lacks clarity and explanation. He accused the ECI of going back on its promises of transparency and fairness. 

ECI On Tejashwi Yadav's 'Missing' Name

ECI clarified that Tejashwi's name is included in the draft voter list at serial number 416. 

"It has come to our attention that Tejashwi Yadav has made a mischievous claim that his name does not appear in the draft electoral roll. His name is listed at Serial Number 416 in the Draft Electoral Roll. Therefore, any claim stating that his name is not included in the draft electoral roll is false and factually incorrect," the poll panel said.

The District Administration of Patna had also clarified the situation and said that his name is included at polling station number 204, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University. 

ANI quoted the Patna DM as saying, "It has been learned from some news sources that the name of the Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, is not in the draft voter list of special intensive revision. An investigation was conducted in this regard by the District Administration, Patna. It has become clear in this that the name of the Leader of the Opposition is recorded in the draft voter list."

The news agency, on Saturday, reported, citing ECI sources, that Tejashwi Yadav’s name is there in the Draft Electoral Rolls published as per SIR, and no records have been found for the second EPIC number yet. 

Furthermore, according to ANI, ECI sources rejected Tejaswi Prasad’s allegation that his EPIC number was changed, saying that the RJD leader used the Electoral Roll with EPIC No. RAB0456228 for filling his nomination papers on affidavit in 2020.

The sources added that he had this EPIC number in the electoral roll in 2015, and his name with this EPIC number exists in the draft Electoral Rolls.

Meanwhile, Bihar is gearing up for the Assembly elections that are expected to take place later this year. 

(with ANI inputs)