EC notice to NDA MP, her MLC husband for possessing two voter cards

The Election Commission on Thursday served notices to LJP (Ram Vilas) MP from Bihar's Vaishali Veena Devi and her husband Dinesh Singh, a JD(U) MLC, for allegedly possessing two voter ID cards each, an official said.

The EC's action came hours after RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the couple possessed two voter ID cards each.

"The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for Muzaffarpur assembly constituency has sent notices to the MP and her husband asking them to submit their replies to the EC over the issue of possessing two voter ID cards by August 16," the official said.

Yadav, the leader of opposition in the assembly, shared purported screenshots of draft electoral rolls published following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), claiming that the NDA MP and the MLC have two voter cards each.

"Is it not a case of fraud, manipulation, and collusion by the Election Commission to ensure a victory for BJP-NDA?" he asked.

Speaking to reporters, Veena Devi claimed, "I don't know how my name has appeared in the electoral rolls of the Muzaffarpur assembly seat. I am a registered voter of the Sahebganj assembly seat only. I came to know about it through the press."  Alleging that the anomaly has happened due to irregularities committed by election officials, she said she has submitted a form for deletion of her name from the rolls in Muzaffarpur.

"Let Tejashwi Yadav say whatever he wants... Since he is in the opposition, he will say all such things against the leaders of the ruling parties," she said.