'Two EPIC numbers for all BJP people': Tejashwi Yadav's fresh charge against EC
Speaking at a press conference in Patna, Yadav stated, "Before we had talked about Bihar's deputy chief minister Vijay Sinha. Now you call it a crime, mistake, or an expose, we had said it before too, but today I want to tell you that EC is helping the BJP, and cutting the votes of the Opposition. The people of BJP are being given not one, but two EPIC numbers for themselves, in one vidhan sabha only."
"We are exposing one more thing. Muzzafarpur's mayor, a BJP leader named Nirmala Devi, she has two EPIC IDs in the same vidhan sabha. In that too, they are different. Not only this, but Nirmala Devi has two brother-in-laws, they also have two EPIC numbers," he added.
The RJD leader further alleged that names of people from other states were being added to Bihar's voter list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ahead of the assembly elections.
"Now the people of Gujarat are becoming voters of Bihar. Bhikhubhai Dalsaniya, who is in charge of the BJP, has become a voter of Patna. He cast his last vote in Gujarat in 2024, but he is still a voter of Patna. He had his name deleted in Gujarat, but it's worth noting that it hasn't been five years, and you started changing places and voting. When the Bihar elections are over, then where will he go after getting his name deleted?" Yadav alleged.
He claimed that in earlier elections, BJP used agencies such as the CBI, ED and Income Tax department against the Opposition, but when those methods became less effective, the Election Commission was "brought forward." He also alleged that "vote chori" took place in the 2020 Bihar elections.
"Before BJP had a formula of winning elections, using CBI, ED, Income Tax used to be put (on Opposition), when these agencies became useless, the Election Commission has been brought forward. Election Commission did vote chori, vote dacoity in 2020 (Bihar assembly elections) too. The vote difference of ours (opposition and the ruling alliance) was just 12 thousand (votes) and in that we were made to lose more than 10 seats," Yadav claimed.
Questioning the neutrality of the poll body, he added, "Some with 12 votes, or 50, or 500 votes, that way we had many seats which we were made to lose. Similarly with Chandigarh you would have seen how they do it, in broad daylight they did it. Now there was a CCTV so they were caught, that is why the EC has removed CCTV only. Look how neutral they are."
Yadav also criticised the Election Commission for not addressing the media about the ongoing SIR, saying, "The vote dacoity has been happening, but now that the truth has come out, then BJP ki bolti band hai (BJP is silent). Till today the Election Commission has not done a press conference; it has not happened till now."
Earlier, on August 10, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said he would reply to the notice issued to him regarding allegations of holding two EPIC numbers.
"I will certainly reply to the notice from the constitutional body. I respect the constitutional body and have faith in the Constitution," Sinha stated.
The Patna District Magistrate and the Bankipur Electoral Registration Officer have issued notices to Sinha over the allegations, with the ERO asking for a reply by August 14.
Responding to the charges, Sinha said, "Our whole family had voter IDs from Bankipur. In April 2024, I applied to add my name to the Lakhisarai constituency and remove it from Bankipur. It did not happen immediately, so I called the BLO, filled the form, and took the receipt. I have all the documents. I voted from only one place last time too; it was in Lakhisarai."
He added that the deletion form for his Bankipur entry was rejected.
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