Raghav Chadha’s Name Deleted from Punjab Voter Roll, Alleges Vendetta

Chadha said he is a sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, with his voter ID registered in Mohali, but his name has been classified as "shifted" in the draft electoral rolls.

He said the final electoral rolls are yet to be published and that names can be corrected during the ongoing 'Claims and Objections' process. He added that he is already availing the remedies provided under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) guidelines.

In a post on X, Chadha alleged that the AAP government had taken its "politics of revenge" to the draft electoral rolls and termed the classification a "clear case of political vendetta."

Chadha further alleged that officials of the Punjab government were involved at various levels in the process. He said the provision was "wilfully violated" in his case and asserted that the draft electoral rolls are not the private property of the state government.

He also alleged that other MPs who left AAP and joined the BJP had been targeted by the Punjab government.

Chadha cited Paragraph 4(d) of the Election Commission of India's Detailed Guidelines for SIR, which he said creates a "protected list" for public representatives, including judges, MPs and MLAs. He claimed that as a sitting MP from Punjab, his name should have been included in the draft electoral rolls if it was flagged.

Meanwhile, the AAP rejected Chadha's allegations and accused him of attempting to shift his voter registration to Delhi through a backdated process.

The party said the 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.

AAP also claimed that Chadha has been living in Delhi and said that if he no longer resides in Punjab, maintaining or shifting his voter registration was his responsibility.

The party further claimed that it had received information from Election Commission sources that Chadha was trying to get his voter registration made in Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, through a backdated process.

AAP said any such backdated or unlawful exercise should be investigated and the truth brought before the public.

Back in April, Chadha, who was removed as the party's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha from AAP, joined the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).