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In response to Election Fee data, Chadha’s title options in Punjab’s checklist of voters faraway from the draft roll beneath the class overlaying absent, shifted, deceased.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha | File photograph
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has accused the Aam Aadmi Get together (AAP) authorities in Punjab of utilizing the electoral revision train for “political vendetta” after his title was lacking from the state’s draft electoral rolls.
Chadha, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab as an AAP nominee in 2022 earlier than becoming a member of the BJP earlier this 12 months, stated his voter registration is in Mohali and questioned how his title was categorised as “shifted” within the draft rolls.
“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 title has been categorised as “shifted” within the draft electoral rolls,” he stated.
Chadha stated the error can nonetheless be rectified because the Election Fee’s Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) course of permits voters to boost claims and objections earlier than the ultimate rolls are revealed.
“Fortunately, these are solely the Draft Electoral Rolls, not the Closing Electoral Rolls. Names are corrected throughout the ‘Claims and Objections’ course of, which is ongoing. The Closing Electoral Rolls can be revealed in October 2026. I’m already in strategy of availing the cures offered beneath SIR tips,” the MP added.
‘Who Marked Me As Shifted?’: Raghav Chadha Targets AAP
Nevertheless, he alleged that the classification was deliberate relatively than an administrative error.
“This doesn’t look like a mere clerical mistake. It is a clear case of political vendetta. Who marked me as ‘shifted’? An official of AAP’s Punjab Authorities. Who verified that classification? Once more, an officer of AAP’s Punjab Authorities. Who processed it at greater degree? As soon as once more, the identical AAP’s Punjab Authorities official,” he stated.
Chadha additional alleged that officers concerned within the revision course of could possibly be susceptible to political strain as a result of their postings and transfers are managed by the state authorities.
“From the BLO on the bottom to the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab, each operational degree of this train is staffed by Punjab Authorities officers. The BLO is ordinarily a junior Punjab Authorities worker. The AEROs, EROs and DEOs in between are Punjab authorities officers. On the prime is a Punjab-cadre IAS officer serving because the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab,” the MP added.
“These officers know AAP Authorities controls their transfers, postings and careers as soon as their electoral obligation ends. They know who can switch them and who could make their lives tough. That is how the AAP authorities applies political strain via state officers to execute the political revenge,” he additional stated.
The BJP chief additionally linked the event to his exit from AAP, alleging that the social gathering had focused leaders who left its ranks.
“Ever since I left the corrupt Aam Aadmi Get together, its management has been burning with anger. It has unleashed the Punjab Police and the Punjab Authorities’s administrative equipment towards these of us who refused to stay silent. Different MPs who left AAP and joined the BJP have additionally been focused by Punjab Govt. This wrongful classification is barely the newest act in that political vendetta,” he stated.
‘Punjab’s Draft Electoral Rolls Not AAP’s Non-public Property’
Chadha additionally cited the Election Fee’s SIR tips, arguing that elected representatives fall beneath a class for which names recognized throughout the train are to be retained within the draft rolls.
“Extra importantly, Paragraph 4(d) of the ECI’s Detailed Pointers for SIR, create a ‘protected checklist’ for public representatives whose names are recognized. This contains Judges, MPs and MLAs,” he stated.
Arguing that the availability ought to have protected his entry, Chadha stated, “I’m a sitting Member of Parliament from Punjab. If in any respect my title was flagged, Paragraph 4(d) required my inclusion within the draft electoral rolls. The instruction was not missed. It was wilfully violated in my case.”
He concluded his publish by asserting that the electoral rolls couldn’t be handled because the property of the ruling social gathering.
“AAP might run the Punjab Authorities, however Punjab’s Draft Electoral Rolls are usually not its personal property,” Chadha stated.
AAP Reacts On Chadha’s Allegations
The AAP hit again at Raghav Chadha’s allegations, claiming that the BJP chief was attempting to shift the blame to the social gathering and the Punjab authorities after his title went lacking from the draft electoral rolls.
The social gathering stated, “Raghav Chadha has been caught by a Nationwide Day by day English Newspaper, attempting to get his voter registration made in Delhi via a backdated course of, and is now trying to place your entire blame on the Aam Aadmi Get together (AAP) and Punjab authorities.”
It additionally harassed that “SIR is performed by the Election Fee, not the state authorities, so the Punjab Authorities has no function in deciding whose title is included or deleted from the electoral roll.”
The social gathering additional claimed that Chadha had been residing in Delhi and questioned his determination to carry the AAP authorities liable for the deletion.
“It’s a matter of public file that Raghav Chadha has been dwelling in Delhi and never in Punjab. If he not resides in Punjab, sustaining or shifting his voter registration was his personal duty. He can’t now blame the AAP or the Punjab Authorities for the deletion of a voter entry.”
The AAP additionally alleged that Chadha was trying to get his voter registration restored in Delhi via a backdated course of, saying, “If any such backdated or illegal train has taken place, it have to be investigated and your entire fact introduced earlier than the general public.”
How Raghav Chadha’s Identify Acquired Deleted In Draft SIR?
In response to Election Fee data, Chadha’s title options in Punjab’s checklist of voters faraway from the draft roll beneath the class overlaying absent, shifted, deceased and duplicate voters. His entry is marked “completely shifted”.
The draft SIR rolls revealed in Punjab on August 13 noticed round 20.66 lakh names, or 9.7% of the pre-SIR citizens, eliminated. Chadha is amongst these whose names have been excluded on the draft stage, The Indian Specific reported.
The claims and objections window in Punjab is open from August 13 to September 12. The state’s closing electoral rolls are scheduled to be revealed on October 12.
Chadha had initially been registered as a voter in Delhi when he contested the 2022 Rajya Sabha election.
After turning into a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, he shifted his electoral registration to Mohali and forged his vote there throughout the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in response to The Indian Specific.
As of Wednesday, a search of the Election Fee’s Voter Providers Portal utilizing Chadha’s voter ID particulars reportedly returned “no consequence discovered” for each Delhi and Punjab.
Fast Solutions
Ask News18It’s not but confirmed whether or not Raghav Chadha’s voter registration can be restored in Punjab, as the present checklist is barely a draft. Nevertheless, he has the chance to formally increase objections and apply to have his title added again to the checklist. He can submit his objections till 12 September 2026, earlier than the ultimate voter checklist is revealed on 12 October 2026.
Ask News18Concerning the Creator
Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with greater than 10 years of expertise in nationwide and worldwide information. She specialises in editorial management, sharp information judgment, and high-impact st…Learn Extra
Delhi, India, India
September 03, 2026, 08:02 IST
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