Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of Opposition in Bihar, Accused of Possessing Two Voter IDs. Election Commission Initiates Investigation Due to Discrepancy in EPIC Numbers and Requests Original Documents.
Bihar: Bihar's political arena is once again abuzz. This time, the issue revolves around the voter ID card of Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister and current Leader of the Opposition in the state. Tejashwi Yadav claimed that his name is missing from the draft electoral roll published after intensive revision. The EPIC number (RAB-2916120) he cited does not match the Election Commission's records.
Election Commission Seeks Clarification
Following Tejashwi Yadav's statement, the Election Commission has asked him to submit information related to the mentioned EPIC number and a copy of the original voter ID card. The Commission's records show his EPIC number as RAB-0456228, which is present in the electoral rolls of 2015 and 2020. An investigation is now underway to determine if Tejashwi Yadav possesses two different voter ID cards.
EPIC Number RAB-2916120 Not Found in Commission's Records
The number cited by Tejashwi Yadav was not found in the Commission's database. However, EPIC number RAB-0456228 is already registered under his name with the Commission. This raises suspicions of either a misunderstanding or a case of dual entry or fraudulent document.
Investigation Ordered, Letter Issued
The Electoral Registration Officer of Digha Assembly Constituency has issued a letter to Tejashwi Yadav, directing him to provide complete details and the original copy of EPIC number RAB-2916120. An investigation will also be conducted to determine whether this number was ever officially issued by the Commission.
Are Two EPIC Numbers a Crime?
According to the rules of the Election Commission of India, it is a legal offense if a person knowingly holds two or more voter ID cards. Under Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, it is illegal to have one's name registered in more than one constituency.
Furthermore, under Section 31 of the Act and Sections 417 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, obtaining a voter ID card or registering twice by providing false information is punishable. This carries a penalty of imprisonment for one year, a fine, or both.
Just as dual entry of Aadhaar and PAN cards is a crime, possessing more than one voter ID card is also legally wrong. The Election Commission pays special attention to this during every revision of the electoral roll. If someone mistakenly has two voter ID cards, they should get it corrected immediately.
