EC Has Become ‘Godi Commission’, Claims Tejashwi Amid Bihar Voter List Dispute

Tejashwi Slams Election Commission

RJD leader and Bihar’s Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, launched a fierce attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) during his ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Araria on Sunday. He argued that the commission now functions like a “cell” of the BJP. Moreover, he claimed that people even in small villages no longer trust the institution and described it as a “Godi Commission.”

Yatra to Protect Democracy

During a press conference, Tejashwi explained the purpose of the Yatra. Along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said the march aims to defend democracy, safeguard the Constitution, and secure the right to vote. Furthermore, he insisted that public faith in the Election Commission has collapsed and urged immediate corrective measures.

Claims of Voter List Manipulation

Tejashwi also raised serious concerns about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar. According to him, officials deleted nearly 50 names from every booth. In addition, he highlighted shocking cases where living voters appeared as deceased in records. Therefore, he said the Opposition submitted evidence before the Supreme Court to prove the scale of manipulation.

Response to PM Modi’s Infiltrator Remarks

Meanwhile, Tejashwi hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments in Gaya about “infiltrators.” He argued that the Election Commission never listed such a category either in its official records or in affidavits before the Supreme Court. Instead, he accused the Prime Minister of spreading rumors and charged the BJP with using fear tactics to influence voters.

PM Modi Warns of Demographic Change

Prime Minister Modi, however, repeated his concerns both in his Independence Day speech and during the Gaya rally. He warned citizens that undocumented people were rapidly altering the demography of Bihar’s border districts. Consequently, he promised that the NDA government would prevent undocumented people from seizing opportunities meant for Indian citizens.

Rahul Gandhi Accuses BJP of Vote Theft

Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the Yatra alongside Tejashwi, also slammed the voter list exercise. He asserted that the SIR had become an “institutionalised way” to steal votes in Bihar. In addition, he claimed lakhs of voters had already lost their names from the rolls. According to him, the BJP never raised a single objection because it benefitted from the deletions. Finally, he alleged that the BJP, the Election Commission, and the Election Commissioner were acting in close partnership.