BJP leader Rakesh Sinha says, 'My name was in Delhi voter rolls, later got it transferred to Bihar'

BJP MP Rakesh Sinha. Pic/X

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rakesh Sinha on Friday dismissed the allegations put against him that he had voted in two assembly elections and said that it was a "politically motivated" accusation that he had voted in both the Delhi Assembly elections and Bihar polls, news agency PTI reported.

Sinha claimed that he had enrolled himself as a voter in Bihar strictly in accordance with the legal procedure and guidelines prescribed by the Election Commission.

The BJP Rajya Sabha lawmaker further stated, "The opposition is unable to understand the constitutional and EC guidelines. Anyone can get their name enrolled in the voter list by following the proper legal procedure. Earlier, my name was there in the Delhi voter rolls, but later I got enrolled in Bihar. I completed all legal steps of the process as required."

His statement came after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj named him and Delhi BJP Purvanchal Morcha President Santosh Ojha in an alleged dual-voting controversy, PTI reported.

Sinha further said that the allegations put on him reflected a lack of understanding of election laws and accused the Opposition of spreading misinformation.

"The Constitution allows every citizen to register as a voter where they reside. I have safeguarded my rights through due process. The narrative being pushed by Congress and the opposition is misleading and driven by political motives," Sinha asserted.

He also referred to the lack of understanding of the Congress on issues of permanent and temporary residences, noting that an individual's connection to their land and roots could not be separated from their identity.

Phase-1 of Bihar Assembly polls: No re-election has been recommended in any constituency, says EC

The Election Commission on Friday said no repoll has been recommended for the over 45,000 polling stations across 121 seats that went to polls in the first phase of the Bihar Election 2025 on Thursday.

The poll panel said document scrutiny was conducted in all 121 assembly constituencies in the presence of 121 returning officers (ROs) and 121 general observers (GOs) appointed by the commission. Around 455 candidates or their agents also participated in the process, PTI reported.

Following the scrutiny, EC reported that no discrepancy or malpractice was found at any of the polling stations, and hence, no repoll has been recommended in phase one.

The first phase witnessed a record voter turnout of nearly 65 per cent. Voting for the second phase is scheduled for November 11.

(With inputs from PTI)