Election Commission debunks Tejashwi Yadav's 'name not in draft electoral roll' claim

RJD leader and former deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav's claim that his name is missing from the state's draft electoral roll published on August 1, 2025, was contradicted on Saturday by the Election Commission of India (ECI), which shared Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat's voter list (under Digha Assembly segment), with Yadav's name and photograph given under serial number 416.

The poll panel's response came after Yadav asked the poll body how he would be able to contest in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly said that it was a “murder of democracy by snatching away voters’ rights”.

He filled in his EPIC number in front of the press on the ECI’s official site and after pushing ‘enter’, it showed ‘not found’. Yadav alleged that the ECI was working as a cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The RJD leader is a voter of the Digha Assembly seat and represents the Raghopur Assembly seat.

Following the completion of the month-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the ECI on August 1 had published the draft electoral rolls for Bihar.

According to the ECI, there is no compiled list made available, but voters can check their names on the ECI’s website.