Patna: The political storm triggered by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s claim on Saturday that his name was missing from the electoral roll of Bihar, has taken a sharp turn. The District Electoral Officer (DEO) of Patna has issued a categorical rebuttal, stating that Tejashwi Yadav’s name was indeed present in the updated voter list.
In a post shared on social media platform X, the DEO’s office wrote: “Tejashwi Yadav’s claim that his name is missing from the electoral roll post-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is false. His name appears at Serial Number 416, and his polling booth number is 204—Veterinary College, Patna.”
The office further urged Tejashwi to verify facts before making public statements that could mislead the electorate.
“Deliberate attempts to mislead voters must be called out,” the post added.
Earlier in the day, Tejashwi Yadav had caused a sensation during a Press conference, where he claimed — based on a real-time check on the Election Commission app — that his name had been deleted from the voter list.
“If I am not on the list, that means I am not a resident of Bihar and cannot contest elections,” he had said sarcastically, while also accusing the Election Commission of running a “fake app.”
Yadav also alleged that names of lakhs of voters were deleted in a non-transparent and politically-motivated manner under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision process, a claim he said was supported by missing names of RJD staff, government officers, and common voters.
The contradiction between Tejashwi’s live demonstration and the DEO’s official clarification has raised fresh questions about the reliability of the Election Commission’s mobile app versus its official voter records.
Election officials have yet to confirm whether technical glitches on the app may have caused a temporary error, or if the issue lies in how voter data was accessed during the Press conference.
The incident comes amid intense scrutiny over the removal of over 65 lakh names from the voter list in Bihar, triggering charges of voter suppression and political manipulation.
Yadav had accused the Election Commission of acting under political pressure, calling it a “Godi Commission.”
The DEO’s rebuttal, however, is likely to offer relief to the poll body, while also placing the Opposition under pressure to substantiate its claims with verified data.
As the deadline for submitting claims and objections remains open until September 1, 2025, political observers say this incident could either escalate into a broader credibility battle or fizzle out if Tejashwi accepts the clarification.
(IANS)
