Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and ex-Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said his name was absent from the updated draft voters' list released on Friday in election-facing Bihar. The Election Commission promptly denied the claim by posting Yadav's details from the electoral rolls, terming it a "mischievous claim".
During a press conference in Patna, Yadav showed his Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number and uploaded it into the official mobile app of the poll body, which reflected a "no records found" message. "My name is also not included in the voters' list. How will I contest the elections?," RJD leader Yadav demanded at the presser.
Following Yadav's assertion, the Election Commission issued a photograph of electoral rolls having his details, verifying that he was registered at a booth in Veterinary College in Patna.
"It has been brought to our notice that Tejashwi Yadav has made a vexatious allegation that his name is not found in the draft electoral roll. His name is at Serial Number 416 in the Draft Electoral Roll. Thus, any allegation that his name is not found in the draft electoral roll is false and factually incorrect," the Commission added.
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But the EPIC number given by the polling body was different from what was given by Yadav.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar has caused a great controversy, with Opposition strongly condemning it as an "exercise in exclusion" and a "conspiracy" to disenfranchise communities that constitute its core vote bank. The Election Commission on Friday came out with the revised draft rolls, deleting 65 lakh names it found to be illegal voters.
"Whether any intimation was made to the 65 lakh voters whose names have been erased? Did the 65 lakh voters have any opportunity for appeal?" Yadav questioned, additionally alleging that the Election Commission "is undertaking targeted work and killing democracy".
The constitutional body was accused by him of "diktative actions" and asserted that it took no notice either of the Opposition's grievances and recommendations or of the recommendations given by the Supreme Court.
The first draft of electoral rolls, prepared during the special intensive revision (SIR) with only a few months remaining for assembly polls, have been made available to voters online.
The commission has also stated that it was putting out printed copies, district by district, to political party representatives so that anomalies, if any, could be pointed out during the 'claims and objections' phase, which would go on until September 1 before the 'final rolls' are released.
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