ECI phrases EPIC card proven by Tejashwi pretend, asks him handy over card by August 16

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday (August 8,. 2025) mentioned the EPIC card that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Tejashwi Yadav displayed throughout a press convention on August 2 was pretend.

The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of the Digha Assembly constituency despatched a letter to Mr. Yadav after the deadline fastened by the ERO ended on Friday, during which it had requested him handy over the EPIC card for thorough investigation.

A day after the draft electoral rolls had been revealed on August 1, Mr. Yadav had alleged that his identify was lacking. However, the EC had mentioned the Leader of the Opposition was making “baseless” claims and furnished the extract of the draft roll the place his identify was current. He had additionally displayed his EPIC card bearing the quantity RAB2916120.

The ECI checklist reveals the EPIC quantity as RAB0456228, as talked about within the draft rolls. The EC additionally shared Mr. Yadav’s affidavit, during which EPIC No. RAB0456228 was used for submitting his nomination papers within the 2020 Assembly polls. He was listed with this EPIC quantity within the 2015 electoral roll as nicely.

“In the context of the topic, it’s to be mentioned that on August 2, you organised a press convention and knowledgeable the media that your EPIC quantity is RAB2916120 and, on looking out on the official web site of the Election Commission of India with the mentioned EPIC quantity, your identify was not discovered within the draft electoral checklist and [was] deleted,” the ERO, below the ECI, acknowledged within the letter.

Following Mr. Yadav’s allegation, the ERO’s workplace on August 3 and 6 despatched notices to him searching for particulars of the EPIC card (together with the unique copy) in order that it could possibly be examined. In the final letter, the ERO requested that the EPIC card be submitted by Friday afternoon.

The letter additional acknowledged: “During investigation, it was discovered that your identify is talked about with EPIC quantity RAB0456228 at polling station quantity 204, Library constructing quantity 416 of Bihar Animal Science University. Even after matching with the database of voter lists of the final a number of years, the EPIC card quantity RAB2916120 displayed within the press convention was not discovered to be issued by the Election Commission of India.”

On August 7, Mr. Yadav mentioned he had not acquired any discover from the ECI and accused the ballot physique of blaming him for its personal errors by issuing two EPIC card numbers.

The ERO added: “From the details, it seems that the EPIC card quantity RAB2916120 displayed by you within the press convention is pretend. Making and utilizing pretend authorities paperwork is a authorized offence. You are as soon as once more requested to submit your seemingly pretend EPIC card within the workplace of the Electoral Registration Officer by 5 p.m. on August 16, 2025.”

Mr. Yadav is a voter of the Digha Assembly seat and represents the Raghopur Assembly seat.

Reacting to the letter, RJD State spokesperson Chittaranjan Gagan mentioned the ECI ought to clarify how two EPIC numbers had been issued within the identify of Tejashwi Yadav since EPIC numbers are issued by the Election Commission.

“This will not be a single incident; there are lots of such examples the place two EPIC numbers are issued to at least one identify. Will the Election Commission declare with an affidavit that Tejashwi ji is the one instance in all the voter checklist of Bihar the place no names have two EPIC numbers?” Mr. Gagan mentioned.

He additional alleged, “In truth, the ECI has received trapped in its personal net. Its conspiracy to assist the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been uncovered – to divert consideration and to malign the picture of Tejashwi Yadav by means of the media by writing letters many times.”