Raghav Chadha alleges his name was marked ‘shifted’ in Punjab’s draft voter list, accusing AAP of political vendetta. AAP rejects the allegations.
Raghav Chadha has raised questions over his voter status in Punjab after his name was reportedly marked as “shifted” in the draft electoral rolls released following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The BJP Rajya Sabha MP has alleged that the development is part of a political vendetta against him by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government.
Chadha, who is registered as a voter in Mohali, said he was surprised to see his name classified as “shifted” in the draft voter list. He also pointed out that the electoral rolls are currently in the draft stage and that the final list is expected to be published in October 2026.
Raghav Chadha Questions ‘Shifted’ Status
Reacting to the development, Raghav Chadha alleged that the AAP government had taken its political differences to the electoral process. He questioned how his name could be marked as shifted despite being a sitting Rajya Sabha MP representing Punjab.
Chadha argued that the classification should not be viewed merely as a clerical error and alleged that it reflected a broader political motive.
The BJP leader had joined the party in April 2026 along with six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs. His exit from AAP has since become a major point of political discussion in Punjab.
The AAP government in Punjab has now taken its politics of revenge to the Draft Electoral Rolls.
I am a sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, with my voter ID registered in Mohali, Punjab. Yet my name has been classified as “shifted” in the draft electoral rolls.
Thankfully,… pic.twitter.com/laAFAAWYiQ
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 3, 2026
Questions Raised Over Electoral Officials
Raghav Chadha also questioned the functioning of the officials involved in the electoral roll revision process.
He pointed out that the SIR exercise involves officials at different levels, including Booth Level Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers.
According to Chadha, many of these officials are associated with the state government. He alleged that their transfers, postings and career prospects could potentially expose them to political pressure.
However, these allegations have not been independently established.
Chadha Refers to ECI Guidelines
Another key point raised by Raghav Chadha concerns Paragraph 4(d) of the Election Commission of India’s guidelines for the SIR exercise.
Chadha claimed that MPs and MLAs are covered under a protected category under the guidelines. He argued that even if his name had been flagged during the verification process, it should have appeared in the draft electoral rolls so that he could participate in the claims and objections process.
He alleged that this provision was not followed in his case.
AAP Hits Back at Chadha
The Aam Aadmi Party has rejected the allegations made by Raghav Chadha and said that the SIR exercise is being conducted by the Election Commission of India.
AAP argued that the Punjab government does not have the authority to independently decide which names are added to or removed from the electoral rolls.
The party also alleged that Chadha was attempting to obtain voter registration in Delhi through a backdated process and was now blaming the AAP and Punjab government for the controversy.
AAP leader Neel Garg also dismissed the allegations and questioned the political motive behind raising the issue.
Punjab CEO Seeks Report
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra said she was not aware of any deletion of Raghav Chadha from the electoral rolls.
She said a detailed report would be sought from the district election authorities to establish whether any change had actually been made to Chadha’s voter status and, if so, the reason behind it.
The claims and objections process is currently underway. Voters who find discrepancies in the draft electoral rolls can raise their concerns before the deadline of September 13.
Final Electoral Roll to Decide the Issue
The controversy surrounding Raghav Chadha comes at a politically significant time, with Punjab heading towards the 2027 Assembly elections.
Since the current electoral roll is only a draft, the claims and objections process will be crucial in determining whether the “shifted” status remains or is corrected before the final publication.
For now, the issue has triggered a fresh political confrontation between AAP and BJP, while election officials are expected to clarify the exact status of Chadha’s name in the electoral database.
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