He “shifted” political course, now the draft voter listing after the Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) in Punjab marks him as “shifted”. AAP-turned-BJP MP Raghav Chadha has alleged that his identify was intentionally categorised as “shifted” within the not too long ago launched draft voter listing of Punjab and has accused the Bhagwant Mann-led authorities of utilizing the electoral equipment for political vendetta.
Chadha, a sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab who’s registered as a voter in Mohali, stated he was stunned to search out his identify categorised as “shifted” within the draft electoral rolls. He, nevertheless, underlined that these are solely draft rolls and that the ultimate electoral rolls are scheduled to be printed in October 2026.
“The AAP authorities in Punjab has now taken its politics of revenge to the Draft Electoral Rolls,” Chadha alleged, claiming that the classification was not a “mere clerical error” however a part of a wider “political vendetta” in opposition to him.
In April this 12 months, Raghav Chadha joined the BJP together with six different AAP Rajya Sabha MPs.
Read | BJP Eyes Jailed MP Amritpal Singh’s Turf, Bets Big on Punjab’s Rural Vote
The AAP authorities in Punjab has now taken its politics of revenge to the Draft Electoral Rolls.
I’m a sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, with my voter ID registered in Mohali, Punjab. But my identify has been categorised as “shifted” within the draft electoral rolls.
Fortunately,… pic.twitter.com/laAFAAWYiQ
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 3, 2026
He questioned how his identify was marked as shifted and alleged that officers at totally different ranges of the electoral train have been staff of the Punjab Authorities. Chadha claimed that from Sales space Degree Officers (BLOs) to Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers, the method includes state authorities officers.
He additional alleged that these officers might face political strain as a result of their transfers, postings and careers are managed by the state authorities.
Chadha additionally cited Paragraph 4(d) of the Election Fee of India’s detailed tips for SIR, arguing that public representatives, together with MPs and MLAs, fall below a “protected listing” whose names, if flagged within the electoral database, needs to be included within the draft rolls to facilitate the claims and objections course of.
Read | In Numbers: How SIR Deletions May Impact Delhi Voters
“I’m a sitting Member of Parliament from Punjab. If in any respect my identify was flagged, Paragraph 4(d) required my inclusion within the draft electoral rolls,” Chadha stated, alleging that the supply was “wilfully violated” in his case.
Nonetheless, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra, whereas talking to NDTV, stated she was not conscious of any deletion of Chadha’s identify. She stated she would search an in depth report from the district election authorities to establish whether or not any deletion had really been made and, in that case, the explanations behind it.
Mitra additionally identified that the claims and objections course of is presently underway. She stated September 13 is the deadline for folks to file appeals in the event that they discover any adjustments or discrepancies within the electoral rolls.
The controversy has additionally triggered a political counterattack from AAP. Occasion chief Neel Garg rejected the allegation that AAP had any curiosity in deleting a person’s vote and alleged that the controversy was the handiwork of the BJP. He referred to the SIR train performed in Bihar and West Bengal and questioned the BJP’s intentions behind elevating the difficulty.
With the claims and objections course of nonetheless underway, the controversy has put the highlight on the functioning of Punjab’s electoral roll revision train and the political battle between AAP and BJP forward of the 2027 Punjab Meeting elections.
