TEJASHWI IS IN A SOUP HAVING TWO VOTER I-CARDS

TEJASHWI IS IN A SOUP HAVING TWO VOTER I-CARDS

4-AUG-ENG 12

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-------------------------Bihar's Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav is once again embroiled in controversy. This time the matter is related to the claim of having two different e-EPIC numbers and his name being removed from the voter list. The Election Commission has issued a notice to Tejashwi Yadav seeking an explanation as to why he has two voter IDs and how one of the suspicious numbers came to him.

In a press conference on August 2, Tejashwi Yadav had claimed that his and his wife's name is not in the new draft voter list. After this statement, an investigation was conducted by the Election Officer. The investigation made it clear that Tejashwi Yadav's name is registered at serial number 416 in the library building of Bihar Animal Science University, polling station number 204 of Digha assembly constituency. The e-EPIC number associated with this record is RAB0456228, which is valid.

But the second e-EPIC number RAB2916120 shown by Tejashwi in the press conference has been found to be illegal and suspicious in the investigation. This number is not certified in the official records of the Election Department.

The Election Commission has issued a notice to Tejashwi Yadav asking where he got this second e-EPIC number from? Also, he has been asked to share the full details of that suspicious EPIC card, so that the matter can be investigated in depth. The Commission has clarified that Tejashwi's voter enrollment is still present in the list, and his claim that his name has been removed is beyond facts.

The NDA constituents have directly attacked Tejashwi Yadav on this entire matter. BJP, JDU, LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM Party and RLSP have accused Tejashwi of having two voter IDs. They called it a violation of the Constitution and democracy and demanded an FIR against Tejashwi Yadav.

NDA spokespersons said that a person having two voter ID cards is a serious crime. Tejashwi has harmed the democratic system by changing the identity and presenting wrong facts.

Patna District Magistrate S. N. Tyagarajan also issued a press note and termed Tejashwi's claim as false. The DM released a copy of the voter list, which clearly shows Tejashwi's name, photo and polling station number 204, serial number 416. He also informed that earlier Tejashwi's name was registered at polling station number 171, serial number 481, which has now been updated and transferred to the new list.

This allegation on Tejashwi Yadav can affect his political future. Now it will be important to see what explanation he gives to the Election Commission and what is the next action of the Commission. At present, Bihar politics has heated up on this issue.