In a significant political development in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of Opposition, has accused Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha of possessing two voter ID cards. This accusation has ignited a debate over electoral integrity and the role of the Election Commission in maintaining transparent electoral rolls. Yadav, addressing the media in Patna, claimed that Sinha is registered as a voter in two different assembly constituencies across two districts. According to Yadav, Sinha's name appears in the draft voter list of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025 from both Patna and Lakhisarai districts.
Specifically, Sinha is listed at serial number 757 in booth number 405 of Patna's Bakipur assembly constituency with EPIC card number AFS0853341, and at serial number 274 in booth number 231 of Lakhisarai with EPIC card number IAF3939337. Yadav further alleged discrepancies in the age recorded on the two cards, with one listing Sinha as 57 years old and the other as 60.
"This is either a disclosure or a fraud, but it is a fact that the same person has two different EPIC cards and is registered in two places," Tejashwi Yadav stated emphatically.
He presented both sets of details to the media, asserting that he had verified the information from the Election Commission's official website. Yadav also highlighted that the Election Commission had previously issued him a notice for having two voter ID cards, to which he had already responded by speed post on August 8. He questioned when the Patna and Lakhisarai administrations would issue a notice to Vijay Kumar Sinha.
Electoral Integrity Under Scrutiny
Yadav's allegations have raised questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Bihar. He demanded a "transparent" investigation by the Election Commission of India into the matter, emphasizing that such "irregularities" cannot be tolerated in a democracy. "There cannot be a bigger fraud than a Deputy Chief Minister's name being in the voter list from two places even after revision," Yadav declared, vowing to present his case in court with "full evidence."
The controversy has also drawn attention to alleged discrepancies in Yadav's own voter details. He pointed out that the names of his parents and siblings were different in the voter list, and his name was associated with someone else. "This shows how messed up the voter list is," he remarked, urging the Election Commission to act decisively to rectify these issues. The allegations have sparked a broader debate about the role of the Election Commission in ensuring the accuracy and transparency of electoral rolls.
Yadav questioned whether the responsibility for the discrepancies lay with Sinha himself or with the Election Commission. "Who should be held responsible, either Sinha himself or the Election Commission? What action is being taken against Sinha? When will he resign from the post after the revelations?" Yadav asked. The issue has also drawn reactions from other political figures. Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar shared screenshots of the draft electoral rolls on social media, showing Sinha as a voter in both Lakhisarai and Bankipur.
