Bihar deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha has two EPICs: Tejashwi Yadav

RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday alleged that Bihar deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has two voter ID cards and asked what action is being taken against Sinha.

Speaking to reporters in Patna, Yadav said, "Vijay Kumar Sinha is a voter from two different Assembly segments in two different districts. His name is there in Lakhisarai Assembly segment in the same district and also in Bankipur Assembly segment in Patna district.

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

Reacting to Yadav's allegations, Sinha told reporters on Sunday, "Earlier, names of mine and my family members were listed in Bankipur Assembly seat. In April 2024, I had applied to add my name from Lakhisarai. I also filled a form to remove my and my family members' names from Bankipur. I have evidence. For some reason, my name was not removed from Bankipur and it appeared in the draft electoral roll. I called the booth-level officer and submitted a written application and took a receipt seeking deletion of my name from Bankpur. I have both documents."

Sinha said he has voted from only one place. "I vote from only one place. Last time too, I voted from only one place. The prince of jungle raj (Tejashwi) is simply trying to mislead people by giving wrong facts. Entire Bihar knows that he (Tejashwi) plays the game of tarnishing the image of others. He should apologise for making false allegations against me," he said.

Yadav, the leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, said Sinha's EPIC ID number in the Lakhisarai Assembly segment is IAF3939337, and in the Bankipur assembly segment in Patna district, his ID is AFS0853341.

"Sinha's age is 57 years in one list and 60 years in another. Is this not fraud and an age scam? He must have filled two different forms in two different assembly segments. He deliberately got two votes registered in two different places. If he did not personally sign both forms, then did the Election Commission create two different votes for him in two different assembly segments based on forged signatures? Will he receive two different notices, or are these rules only for the opposition leaders?" Yadav asked.

Commenting on the EC asking him to respond to allegations that he holds two EPIC numbers, the RJD leader said, "I have replied to the EC, why should I need to give an explanation for this? He accused the EC of attempting to pin on him a mistake committed by its own officials."

Recently, the EC had asked Yadav to respond to allegations that he holds two EPIC numbers. "Whose lapse is it if two EPIC numbers were issued to me? Galti khud karen aur explanation hamse mangege (they make the mistake but seek an explanation from me)."

In a post on X on Saturday, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar shared screenshots of the draft electoral rolls in which the deputy CM has been shown as a voter in Lakhisarai, his assembly seat, as well as Bankipur in the capital city.

PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the screenshots shared by Kumar, who asked, "Was Sinha casting his vote from two places? How did he file his enumeration forms from more than one place? Would there be an FIR against him for this fraud?"