Political Row in Bihar: Tejashwi Yadav’s Voter List Claim Sparks Controversy

The upcoming Bihar Assembly elections in 2025 have ignited a political dispute, with allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. Critics have pointed to the inclusion of deceased individuals and the exclusion of eligible voters. Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD’s CM candidate and the son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, has asserted that his name is missing from the draft voter list, despite having completed the enumeration form during the special revision. This raises concerns about his ability to contest the election. The Janata Dal (United) responded sharply, accusing Yadav of deceiving the public. Addressing the press in Patna, Tejashwi stated that he filled out the form, but his name was not on the list. He further noted that his EPIC information did not appear in the system. The Patna district administration, however, countered, clarifying that Yadav’s name is registered, although his polling station and serial number have been altered. Yadav questioned the scale of these changes, suggesting a potential effort to manipulate the voter list. The Election Commission has refuted Yadav’s claims, stating that his name is indeed present in the draft electoral roll. JDU spokesperson Neeraj Kumar condemned Yadav’s actions as a ‘political fraud.’ The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Roll is underway in Bihar to verify the voter list. The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar and 243 Electoral Officers will invite the voter or any recognised political party to file their objections regarding any discrepancies in the electoral roll. The objections can be made from 1st August to 1st September 2025. The voters can check their details at ECI website.