Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, is facing scrutiny from the Election Commission following allegations of possessing two EPIC numbers. The EC has issued a formal notice and requested the original voter ID documents. This action is a direct response to the controversy surrounding the validity of two distinct EPIC numbers linked to Yadav. The EC’s investigation was triggered by inconsistencies between the EPIC number presented publicly and the official records.
In India, holding multiple voter ID cards is illegal and punishable under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Conviction can result in a prison sentence or a fine. The Election Commission is conducting an investigation to determine the truth of the claims; if proven, this could be a severe electoral offense.
While the authentic EPIC number for Tejashwi Yadav is RAB0456228, no record of RAB2916120 was found. Consequently, the Election Commission has issued a notice and requested the original voter ID cards. This matter has injected a dose of political turmoil into Bihar, particularly in the run-up to the upcoming assembly elections. The controversy emerged when Tejashwi claimed that his name was not on the draft voter list.
During a press conference, Yadav shared the EPIC number RAB2916120. However, a search for this number yielded a ‘no record found’ message. The Election Commission subsequently clarified that Yadav’s name was indeed on the draft voter list, associated with the EPIC number RAB0456228, which he utilized in both the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections.
The Election Commission is further investigating, suspecting that the second EPIC number might be fraudulent. Tejashwi has been asked to explain the discrepancy related to the RAB2916120 number. Tejashwi, in turn, has dismissed the allegations as a politically motivated conspiracy, claiming that his EPIC number has been altered.
The revelation of the alleged duplicate EPIC numbers has led to criticism from BJP and JDU leaders. The Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and a JDU leader have called it a violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. A BJP MP has questioned how Tejashwi could possess two voter IDs, suggesting an attempt to mislead the public. The MP has stated that having two voter ID cards constitutes a serious offense and emphasized that the card used in the 2020 election is the same as the current one.
In the first phase of Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) in Bihar, a total of 7.24 crore voters have been registered. Approximately 65 lakh names have been removed from the voter list, including the deceased, those who have relocated, and foreign nationals. The Election Commission stated that Bihar had a total of 7.89 crore voters as of June 24, 2025. The SVEEP initiative in Bihar commenced on June 24, 2025, with the first phase concluding on July 26.
