Case Against Congress Leader For Distributing Voter ID Cards In Hyderabad

A police case has been filed against Telangana Congress leader Naveen Yadav for allegedly distributing fake voter IDs ahead of the Jubilee Hills bypoll.

Jubilee Hills is one of 15 constituencies in the capital city of Hyderabad.

The case was filed based on a newspaper report where photographs showed Yadav distributing voter ID cards to local residents.

The case has been filed by the Madhura Nagar police against Yadav under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections 170 (bribery), 171 (undue influence at elections), and 174 (punishment for undue influence or personation at an election), along with relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (Sections 123(1) and 123(2) related to corrupt practices).

On Monday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Raghunandan Rao submitted a complaint to the Election Commission, along with photographic evidence related to the alleged incident.

It was believed that the accused obtained e-EPIC copies from EPIC holders and got them printed and laminated for distribution. The EPICs distributed appear to lack the official hologram, as visible in the photographs and videos circulated in connection with the event.

Sources close to Naveen Yadav told NDTV that the cards were laminated photocopies without a hologram and were meant to be a voter awareness exercise to enthuse voters and not real EPIC cards.

As per the Election Commission's prescribed procedure, only the Booth Level Officer (BLO) is authorised to distribute Voter ID cards and that too under the direct supervision of the Election Commission and local election authorities.

Yadav is considered the front-runner for the party ticket for the by-election to the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency.

The Election Commission of India on Monday announced that the by-election will be held on November 11.

Yadav allegedly procured and distributed EPICs to local citizens during a public event titled 'Voter Cards Distribution Programme' held at the Congress office at Yousufguda check-post in Hyderabad.

As per the probe, the programme took place prior to the Dasara festival (before 2nd October 2025), and not immediately before the lodging of the complaint.

The event was reportedly organised in the presence of political leaders, with party banners displayed, suggesting that the activity was intended to influence electors, constituting an act of bribery or undue influence under election laws.