Vote mark on LJP's Shambhavi Chaudhary's both hands sparks controversy, Patna admin cites polling staff error

The clarification came after Rashtriya Janata Dal’s National Spokesperson Kanchana Yadav alleged voter fraud, claiming that ink marks on both hands suggested Chaudhary had voted twice.

A video showing Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Chaudhary with ink marks on both her fingers went viral on social media on Saturday, sparking allegations of voter fraud from opposition leaders. The Patna District Administration later issued a clarification, calling it a polling staff error.

In a post on X, the Patna District Administration stated that the polling staff mistakenly applied ink to Chaudhary’s right hand and after the Presiding Officer intervened, ink was also applied to her left hand.

"A video is being circulated on social media regarding ink marks on both fingers of the Honorable MP Smt. Shambhavi after casting her vote. In this connection, inquiries were made from the Presiding Officer of Polling Station No. 61, Sant Paul's Primary School, Buddha Colony (Northern Room of the Main Section) of 182-Bankipur Assembly Constituency. He has clarified that the polling staff responsible for applying ink had mistakenly applied it to the finger of the right hand. After the intervention of the Presiding Officer, ink was also applied to the finger of the left hand. It is being clarified that the Honorable MP Smt. Shambhavi cast her vote only at Serial No. 275 of the voter list of Polling Station No. 61, Sant Paul's Primary School, Buddha Colony (Northern Room of the Main Section) of 182-Bankipur Assembly Constituency," said Patna District Administration, in an X post written in Hindi.

सोशल मीडिया पर माननीय सांसद श्रीमती शाम्भवी के मतदान के पश्चात दोनों अंगुली पर स्याही के निशान लगे होने के संबंध में वीडियो प्रसारित हो रहा है। इस संबंध में 182-बाँकीपुर विधान सभा के मतदान केन्द्र सं.-61 संत पॉल्स प्राईमरी स्कूल, बुद्धा कॉलोनी (मुख्य भाग का उत्तरी कमरा) के… https://t.co/WjuyyqVhha

— District Administration Patna (@dm_patna) November 7, 2025

The clarification came after Rashtriya Janata Dal’s National Spokesperson Kanchana Yadav alleged voter fraud, claiming that ink marks on both hands suggested Chaudhary had voted twice.

"This is a whole different level of fraud going on. These are LJP MP Shambhavi Chaudhary Chaudhary. Ink is applied on both hands. Meaning, they voted twice. When this matter came to light, their father Ashok Chaudhary is signaling them with eye gestures. Election Commission, how is all this happening? Who will investigate this?," wrote Yadav on X.

Meanwhile, the Bihar Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) reported that 65.08% of voters participated in the first phase of the assembly polls held on November 6, 2025, a significant increase from previous years. The average voter turnout in the 2020 Bihar Assembly General Elections was 57.29%, while the 2024 Lok Sabha General Elections recorded 56.28%. This year’s election, therefore, saw a 7.79% increase in turnout compared to 2020 and an 8.8% rise compared to 2024.

The elections are being held after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, an exercise that opposition parties had strongly objected to earlier.