'Political vendetta': BJP MP Raghav Chadha's name deleted from Punjab SIR draft list, he blames AAP

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday (Sep 3) alleged that his name was wrongly classified as “shifted” in the draft electoral rolls in Punjab. While the SIR is a process undertaken by the Election Commission of India, Chadha accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of a 'political vendetta, claiming that the state government in Punjab moved his name to “shifted” in the draft electoral rolls. Chadha is a sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab with his voter ID registered in Mohali. He said the final electoral rolls are yet to be published and that names can be corrected during the ongoing ‘Claims and Objections’ process.

In a post on X, Chadha wrote, ‘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, these are only the Draft Electoral Rolls, not the Final Electoral Rolls. Names are corrected during the ‘Claims and Objections’ process, which is ongoing. The Final Electoral Rolls will be published in October 2026. I am already in process of availing the remedies provided under SIR guidelines. This does not seem like a mere clerical mistake. This is a clear case of political vendetta.” Calling the classification a “clear case of political vendetta”, Chadha alleged that officials of the Punjab government were involved at various levels in the process. He also alleged that the provision was “wilfully violated” in his case and said, “AAP may run the Punjab Government, but Punjab’s Draft Electoral Rolls are not its private property. Ever since I left the corrupt Aam Aadmi Party, its leadership has been burning with anger."

Meanwhile, the AAP rejected Chadha’s allegations and said SIR is conducted by the Election Commission and not the state government, and alleged that the Punjab government has no role in deciding whose name is included or deleted from the electoral roll. “Raghav Chadha has been caught by a National Daily English Newspaper, trying to get his voter registration made in Delhi through a backdated process, and is now attempting to put the entire blame on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Punjab government… SIR is conducted by the Election Commission, not the state government, so the Punjab Government has no role in deciding whose name is included or deleted from the electoral roll. It is a matter of public record that Raghav Chadha has been living in Delhi and not in Punjab. If he no longer resides in Punjab, maintaining or shifting his voter registration was his own responsibility. He cannot now blame the AAP or the Punjab Government for the deletion of a voter entry,” AAP said in a post on X.