Bihar’s Voter List Under Scrutiny: Tejashwi Yadav’s Complaint and the ECI Response

Bihar’s political landscape is heating up as the state moves closer to the 2025 Assembly elections. A key point of contention is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, with allegations of inaccuracies being made. These range from the inclusion of deceased individuals to the omission of living voters. Tejashwi Yadav, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s CM candidate, has alleged that his name is absent from the Election Commission’s draft voter list, despite completing the enumeration form. This has raised concerns about his eligibility to participate in the elections. Janata Dal (United) has responded to Yadav’s allegations, accusing him of misleading the public about the voter list. During a press conference, Yadav stated that his name was missing, even after providing his EPIC number. The Patna district administration swiftly refuted Yadav’s claims, clarifying that his name is indeed registered but with a different polling station and serial number. Yadav reacted by questioning the extent of changes to voter information, suggesting a conspiracy to remove names. JDU’s Neeraj Kumar criticized Yadav, calling him a “political fraud.” The Election Commission has addressed the issue, stating that Yadav’s name is listed in the draft electoral roll. The SIR, a crucial step in preparing for the elections, is allowing for objections regarding discrepancies from August 1st to September 1st, 2025. The ECI’s objective is to ensure accurate and transparent voter rolls. The last comprehensive revision was conducted in 2003. Voters can verify their details through the ECI website.