Tejashwi Yadav alleges EC bias in Darbhanga Graduate count
Synopsis
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on 29 October 2026 publicly accused the Election Commission of stalling and manipulating the Darbhanga Graduate constituency count to hand BJP a victory, claiming RJD is leading despite 10% of ballots being declared invalid after 56 hours of counting.
Key Takeaways
Counting for the Darbhanga Graduate constituency began on 27 October 2026 and had not concluded as of 29 October, 3:25 PM IST — over 56 hours in.
Tejashwi Yadav claims RJD is leading the count despite the Election Commission declaring 10 percent of votes invalid .
He directly accused the Election Commission of India of 'forcibly searching for a BJP victory' in the tally.
RJD workers are reported to be stationed at the counting centre as the standoff continues.
Tejashwi warned that voters are now in a mood for a decisive aar-paar confrontation to defend democracy.
No statement from the Election Commission or the returning officer addressing the allegations has been issued publicly.
Fifty-six hours into a vote count that began on 27 October 2026, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has fired a direct broadside at the Election Commission of India, accusing it of manufacturing a BJP victory in the Darbhanga Graduate constituency — even as he claims his party is leading the tally.
Posting on 29 October, Tejashwi wrote: 'चुनाव आयोग मतगणना में जबरन BJP की जीत खोज रहा है' — 'the Election Commission is forcibly searching for a BJP victory in the counting.' He alleged that 10 percent of ballots had been declared invalid, yet the Rashtriya Janata Dal was still ahead. 'We will not let this happen,' he added, warning that the public is now in a mood for a decisive confrontation — 'आर-पार' — to save democracy.
A count that has stretched across three days
The Darbhanga Graduate constituency elects a member to the Bihar Legislative Council, the upper house of the state legislature. Graduate-constituency elections are low-visibility affairs — smaller voter rolls, specialist electorates — but they carry symbolic weight as barometers of opposition strength in the state's political heartland.
Counting began on 27 October and was still unresolved as of 3:25 PM IST on 29 October, stretching well past the timeline most observers expected. Tejashwi's post marks the point at which the RJD moved from quiet monitoring to open, public confrontation — a deliberate escalation designed to put pressure on counting officials in real time.
The invalid-ballot flashpoint
The sharpest specific charge in the post is the claim that 10 percent of votes were declared invalid. In graduate-constituency elections, invalid-ballot rulings can swing outcomes in tight contests, and RJD's framing positions the disqualifications as a tool of manipulation rather than a routine procedural call. RJD workers, Tejashwi said, are holding firm at the counting centre.
Indian opposition parties have a documented history of raising irregularity allegations mid-count — at times successfully, at times not. Whether RJD files a formal legal challenge will depend on how the returning officer's final declaration lands.
Bihar's Bihar Council battles — why they matter
The Bihar Legislative Council is a genuine arena of power: bills, budget debates, and the political standing of the Chief Minister all pass through it. For an opposition party like RJD, winning a graduate or teacher seat is not just symbolic — it is a foothold inside the upper house and proof of organisational muscle in a state where NDA, led by BJP and JD(U), controls the government.
Tejashwi's post lands at the intersection of Bihar's unresolved NDA-opposition rivalry and a growing national conversation about counting-day transparency. The Election Commission has not issued any public statement addressing the specific allegations as of the time of writing.
The returning officer's declaration is now the only thing standing between a political controversy and a full-blown legal and street battle — and by his own words, Tejashwi Yadav is ready for either.
Point of View
RJD creates a political cost for any adverse ruling before it arrives. The 'invalid ballot' flashpoint is particularly significant: in closely fought graduate-constituency elections, mass ballot disqualification is a lever that can reverse leads, making it the most legally contestable element of the dispute. This episode also fits a broader pattern in which Bihar's opposition has used council elections as low-stakes arenas to test institutional resistance ahead of bigger assembly contests. If RJD ultimately loses the seat after these allegations, expect an immediate legal petition; if it wins, Tejashwi will claim the scrutiny itself forced a fair outcome.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Darbhanga Graduate constituency?
It is one of several graduate constituencies that elect members to the Bihar Legislative Council , the upper house of the Bihar legislature. Only graduates registered in the constituency can vote.
Why has the Darbhanga Graduate counting taken more than 56 hours?
Tejashwi Yadav alleges deliberate delay by the Election Commission, though official reasons for the extended count have not been publicly stated by the returning officer or the commission.
What did Tejashwi Yadav allege about invalid votes?
He claimed that 10 percent of ballots were declared invalid during counting, and accused the Election Commission of using this to reverse RJD's lead in favour of BJP. This specific figure is as yet unverified by official sources.
What can RJD do if it loses the seat after these allegations?
RJD can file an election petition before the High Court challenging the result on grounds of procedural irregularity. Party workers can also protest outside counting centres, which Tejashwi has already signalled they are prepared to do.
What is the Bihar Legislative Council and why does winning a seat matter?
The Bihar Legislative Council is the state's upper house and participates in legislative and budgetary processes. For the opposition RJD, winning council seats provides a platform to scrutinise the NDA government and demonstrates organisational strength ahead of assembly elections.
