NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Sunday issued a notice to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav after 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. Taking cognisance of his allegations, the ECI in its letter said, “Upon verification, it was found that your name is recorded at serial number 416 of polling station no. 124 (located in the library building of Bihar Engineering University), and the EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) number is RAB0456228.”
Also Read: ‘This means he had two EPIC nos’: BJP on Tejashwi Yadav’s ‘missing name’ claim; asks did he have two voter IDs?Hand over your card, EC tells Tejashwi The poll agency further added that the EPIC number mentioned by the RJD leader does not officially exist. “However, as per your statement in the press conference, you referred to your EPIC number as RAB2916120. A preliminary investigation revealed that EPIC number RAB2916120 does not officially exist,” it added in the letter. ECI further asked Tejashwi Yadav to provide more details of the EPIC card he mentioned in his press conference, so that further investigation can be done.Earlier on Saturday, the RJD leader in a press conference alleged that his EPIC number was changed and his name was missing from the draft electoral rolls in Bihar.Tejashwi’s twin voter ID row However, ECI rejected Tejashwi Prasad’s allegation, saying that he used the Electoral Roll with EPIC number RAB0456228 for filling his nomination papers on affidavit in 2020.The poll agency also clarified that Tejashwi’s name is included in the draft voter list at serial number 416.ECI, in a statement, said, “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.”Conspiracy to defame India, BJP lashes out at RJD, CongressWar of words erupted between the ruling party and the opposition over the RJD leader’s allegations. The chaos escalated after 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, 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.”The BJP leader further asserted that both ECI and Patna District Magistrate clarified the matter by showing Yadav’s name in the draft electoral roll.“He tried to mislead voters on the electoral roll published by the EC … He cried that his name was not there in the electoral roll, so could he take part in the elections in Bihar?… After that, the EC and Patna DM revealed the truth. They said that Tejashwi Yadav’s name and EPIC number are present, and his name has not been cut from the electoral roll published after the SIR,” he said.“The EC further said that the EPIC number, which published his name in the electoral roll at serial number 416, is the same as the one he wrote in his nomination papers during the 2020 elections,” the BJP MP added.He said, “Sarvochh neta ke hain two EPIC number to karyakarta ka haal kya hoga” (if the chief has two EPIC numbers, then what would be the condition of the party workers).
