ISLAMABAD: Questions are being raised about the integrity of voter records after multiple allegations of duplicate voting surfaced during the recent elections in the Indian state of Bihar.
The claims, backed by images, EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) details, and voting-day photographs, were shared publicly on X by AltNews Co-Founder Muhammad Zubair, who called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) and local authorities to respond.
According to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, journalist Zubair was detained for religious expression and reporting, arrested in June 2022 over a 2018 tweet amid controversy over the BJP's remarks on Islam.
The Supreme Court granted interim bail, leading to his release.
The Indian journalist and fact checker, Zubair, wrote on X that “proof” had been shared of “people voting in two different places,” adding that the individuals flagged were ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders or workers.
“We have shared the names of the people (BJP leaders/workers) with proof (two EPIC IDs, and their photos of them voting in two states),” he posted.
BJP leader Thakur’s case
According to the Indian journalist, Ranjan Kumar Thakur, a BJP leader from Delhi, allegedly voted twice, first in Delhi during the 2024 General Elections and then again in his native village in Bihar.
“We’ve shared all the details… You just have to cross-verify. How many more cases will you ignore @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI?” he wrote.
‘Voting in three states’
Another highlighted case involves Ajit Kumar Jha, identified as an employee of the website OpIndia. The Indian journalist alleged that Jha cast votes in Delhi, Haryana, and Bihar.
A subsequent post questioned how both Jha and his son were able to vote across multiple states, allegedly holding three active EPIC numbers.
Prominent YouTuber Dhruv Rathee amplified the concerns, sharing Zubair’s claims and asking, “Is @ECISVEEP sleeping?”
Another user raised broader questions to the Election Commission regarding Jha’s alleged multi-state registration, the ECI’s investigative steps, gaps in voter-database synchronization, and whether deleted posts could be used as legal evidence.
Allegations against Uday Kumar
Zubair also posted that Uday Kumar, described as a BJP supporter, voted in both Bengaluru and Bihar.
He added that Kumar and his family held EPIC IDs from both Karnataka and Bihar, though no proof was provided that the entire family had voted in two states.
Claims against BJP leader Ojha
Another allegation concerns Santosh Kumar Ojha, a BJP leader residing in Delhi.
The Indian journalist stated that Ojha held two EPIC numbers — one in Delhi and one in Bihar — and voted in both locations.
He further claimed that Ojha’s name was added to the Buxar voter list only recently, in an additional list after August 2025.
Exclusion of over 6 million names
India launched a revision of its voter rolls on Nov. 4, expanding a contentious exercise that activists warn could fuel disenfranchisement in the world's largest democracy, according to an AFP report.
The three-month voter registration overhaul — known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — kicked off in 12 states and territories, many of which are slated to hold local elections next year.
Earlier this year, the ECI conducted a similar revision in the eastern state of Bihar, home to more than 130 million people, ahead of its state elections beginning Nov. 6.
The process led to the exclusion of around 6.5 million names, which the ECI said was necessary to prevent the inclusion of "foreign illegal immigrants."
Zero repolls: ECI
Meanwhile, the ECI has said that the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 concluded with a historic milestone, a record voter turnout of 67.13%, the highest ever recorded in the state since Independence, and “zero repolls” across all constituencies.
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