Voted ID Tejashwi flashed at press conference fake, says poll body, gives him deadline to surrender it
The deadline for submission has been set for 5 pm on August 16.
The official communication, dated August 8, comes in continuation of earlier correspondence dated August 3 and August 6, following Yadav's claim that his name had been 'deleted' from the electoral rolls and that his voter ID card was no longer valid. During the press conference, Yadav presented an EPIC card bearing the number RAB2916120, which he said had failed to yield any search results on the Election Commission of India's (ECI) official portal.
However, upon verification, the ERO stated that the EPIC number in question was never issued by the Election Commission. 'Matching the card with the electoral database of several years revealed that the EPIC card number RAB2916120 is not found in the records of the Election Commission,' the letter said.
The ERO further pointed out that Yadav's valid entry in the voter list appears under 'EPIC number RAB0456228', and his name is listed at serial number 416 in Polling Station No. 204, Bihar Animal Sciences University Library Building, a change from its previous position in the same premises at Polling Station No. 171, serial number 481.
An ECI source had previously said that EPIC number RAB0456228 has been consistently associated with Tejashwi Yadav since 2015, including in the affidavit he submitted during nominations in the 2015 and 2020 Assembly elections. During the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the same number was provided by Yadav through the Booth Level Officer (BLO) in the submitted enumeration form, the official had said.
In its latest letter, the ERO wrote, 'It appears that the EPIC card number RAB2916120 displayed during the August 2 press conference is fake. Creating and using forged government documents is a legal offence.'
The notice concludes with a renewed request to Yadav: 'You are once again requested to deposit your apparently fake EPIC card at the Office of the Electoral Registration Officer by 5:00 PM on August 16, 2025.'
This development follows a previous letter issued by the ERO to Yadav, seeking clarification on the EPIC number he quoted during the August 2 media interaction. District officials had clarified earlier that Yadav's name had not been deleted from the rolls but was listed under a different polling station number.
Election Commission sources said that the EPIC number linked with Yadav in the electoral rolls had remained consistent for over a decade, and an extensive review of past electoral rolls and databases found no record of the number RAB2916120.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
25 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Rajya Sabha uproar: Mallikarjun Kharge raises Bihar voter rolls, JP Nadda counters
The Rajya Sabha continued to witness disruptions on Tuesday, with Opposition members demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, prompting deputy chairman Harivansh to adjourn the House till 2 pm soon after the papers were laid on the table. The House was adjourned again to meet at 3 pm. Once the proceedings resumed, leader of the House JP Nadda countered leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge after the Congress leader sought to raise the issue of SIR. BJD's Sasmit Patra, who was in the Chair, allowed sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya to move the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, for passing. The Opposition MPs urged the chair to allow Kharge to speak. On the Chair's instruction, Kharge rose and sought to speak on SIR. After Patra's objection, the Opposition walked out. Nadda countered Kharge and said the Opposition did not believe in healthy democracy. After the Opposition walked out, the government discussed and passed the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Income Tax Bill, 2025, and the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Reforms are necessary to bolster electoral integrity
The Election Commission's attempts to strength the credibility of India's democratic process by means of an extensive revision of the electoral rolls has unfortunately devolved into yet another partisan fight on the political stage. As the EC has embarked on a special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists beginning in Bihar as the State heads to the polls in a few months, Opposition parties tried to march to the commission's office in New Delhi on August 11 in protest. These critics, quick to push back against proposed schemes to enhance the accuracy and credibility of the electoral rolls, are also quick to point to inaccuracies and duplicates within the list and brand it as electoral fraud and 'vote chori (theft)'. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, held a press conference on August 7 to deliver a presentation accusing the EC of voter fraud in Karnataka in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Similar allegations have been made with respect to the Maharashtra Assembly election also. The EC is constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections. This is no easy task to administer in the largest democracy in the world with nearly one billion eligible voters. India's electoral process has been reformed and improved drastically since its first elections in 1951-52. Further reforms are no doubt necessary in bolstering electoral integrity. As the EC itself announced, a number of factors make intensive revision of electoral rolls necessary, including India's frequent inter- and intra-State migration, new voters, and the non-reporting of deaths. But to attack both the commission's past performance and its future proposals for reform as a means of scoring political points is deeply unhelpful, adding only to toxic political noise. Aadhaar link The EC's plans to strengthen India's electoral systems, including revising the rolls and linking Aadhaar to the elector photo ID card (EPIC), are neither new nor politically motivated. For over a decade, the commission has consistently advocated for electronic identification systems as a tool to eliminate two of the most persistent challenges facing the country's electoral process: duplicate entries and voter impersonation. As early as 2015, the EC launched the National Electoral Rolls Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP) to identify and remove duplicate entries. Linking EPIC and Aadhaar was part of this technical approach. Over four years, the EC repeatedly submitted technical and legal proposals to government advocating for biometric authentication to improve roll accuracy. The EC's announcement in March this year that it had set the ball rolling for linking Aadhaar with EPIC, therefore, has deep roots. 'One citizen, one vote' is the foundation of India's democracy. The Aadhaar-EPIC linkage will be key in protecting this, from removing duplicate voters to preventing impersonation on polling day. But individual data privacy is a concern. The EC and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) must act to ensure protection of personal data, safeguarding the secure management and protection of Aadhaar-linked voter data. The protests of August 11 reveal fundamental inconsistencies in the Opposition's positioning. Parties simultaneously highlight alleged instances of voter fraud in Karnataka, while opposing measures being rolled out in Bihar that could address documented vulnerabilities. This approach serves neither democratic integrity nor voter interests. These critical voices should, in fact, be applauding the efforts of the EC and its SIR of voter lists. The 'evidence' of 2024 electoral fraud as posited by Opposition figures — from duplicate names to multiple voters in single addresses and invalid addresses — will be weeded out by this process. The Aadhaar-EPIC linkage will further cement the accuracy and credibility of the voter rolls. Bipartisan interest Electoral integrity transcends partisan interests. When documented vulnerabilities persist while potentially comprehensive solutions face resistance that is driven by petty politics, democracy suffers. The continuation of India's long tradition of free and fair elections is dependent on an accurate electoral roll — something that requires constant and intensive revision, and which can only be administered by the EC. It will not be an easy task. All parties, regardless of politics, have a duty to work collaboratively to find technically sound solutions that safeguard both the rights of citizens and Indian democracy. For a challenge such as this, serious debate is needed, not political posturing. Ritesh Pandey belongs to the BJP and is a former MP for Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh; views expressed are personal
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Who is Jalaluddin, who wants to replace Jagdeep Dhankhar? Files nomination for the Vice-Presidential election
New Delhi: Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the post of Vice President of India on 21 July 2025, citing health concerns. Now, as the nomination process for the post of Vice President is on, a man from Rajasthan has entered the fray. He is a 38-year-old resident of Jaisalmer, Jalaluddin. Jalaluddin reached the Rajya Sabha on Monday, 11 August and filed his nomination papers with a deposit amount of Rs 15 thousand. Who is Vice Presidential candidate Jalaluddin? Jalaluddin is currently studying at Haridev Joshi Journalism University in Jaipur. Jalaluddin's inclination towards politics is not new. Earlier in 2009, he had contested the Ward Panch election from Jaisalmer district, which he lost by just one vote. Even after this, his enthusiasm did not decrease. He filed the nomination from the Jaisalmer Assembly seat in 2013 and from the Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha seat in 2014, although he withdrew the form both times. Why is Jalaluddin contesting the Vice-Presidential election? Now, when the nomination process for the Vice-Presidential election to be held on September 9 started after the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Jalaluddin also decided to participate in it and filed his nomination with the Election Commission on August 11. Jalaluddin says, 'I am fond of contesting elections. I know that my nomination will be cancelled, but I have still filed my nomination.' Why will Jalaluddin's nomination be rejected? Jalaluddin's nomination for the post of Vice President can be rejected due to technical flaws. During the verification of documents by the Election Commission, it was found that the certified copy of the electoral roll given by Jalaluddin was of an old date. According to the rules of the Election Commission, the nomination is automatically rejected due to such a mistake. When is the Vice-Presidential election scheduled for? The Election Commission has issued the notification for filing the nomination for the Vice-Presidential election. Nominations for the office of vice president can be filed till 21 August, and the election will be held on 9 September. This will be the 17th Vice Presidential election. The Vice-President is elected by an Electoral College, which consists of the members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The counting of the votes will be held on 9 September.
