Bihar BJP mayor gets notice over 'dual' voter ID cards 

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a notice to Muzaffarpur mayor and BJP leader Nirmala Devi for allegedly possessing two voter cards. 

The notice comes amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the poll-bound state. Nirmala Devi has been asked to reply by August 16.

Earlier, on August 10, the poll body issued a notice to senior BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha for allegedly possessing two voter cards and being registered as an elector at two places.

Sinha was issued a notice by the Election Commission after RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav accused Sinha of possessing two voter identity cards from different assembly constituencies and demanded action against him.

Yadav claimed that Sinha's name appears in both the Lakhisarai Assembly constituency and the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district, with two separate electoral photo identity card (EPIC) numbers and even differing ages — 57 in one list and 60 in another.

"Vijay Kumar Sinha is a voter from two different Assembly constituencies in two different districts. His name is there in Lakhisarai Assembly constituency in the same district and also in Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna," Yadav had told reporters.

"He has two different electoral photo identity cards. Surprisingly, it has happened after the SIR by the Election Commission in Bihar. Who should be held responsible, either Sinha himself or the Election Commission? What action is being taken against Sinha? When will he (Sinha) resign from the post after the revelations?" he questioned.

Reacting to the allegations, Sinha clarified that while his name earlier appeared only in Bankipur, he applied in April 2024 to add his name to the Lakhisarai voter list and simultaneously requested removal from Bankipur.