‘Who marked me as shifted?’ Raghav Chadha targets AAP after name excluded from Punjab draft SIR

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of political vendetta after his name was excluded from the state’s draft electoral rolls under the “permanently shifted” category.

Chadha, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab as an AAP nominee in 2022 before joining the BJP earlier this year, said his voter registration was in Mohali and questioned the classification in the draft rolls.

“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," he said.

Chadha alleges political pressure

The BJP leader said the issue could still be corrected as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process allows voters to file claims and objections before the final rolls are issued.

“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," the MP added.

However, Chadha alleged that the classification was not simply an administrative error.

“This does not seem like a mere clerical mistake. This is a clear case of political vendetta. Who marked me as ‘shifted’? An official of AAP’s Punjab Government. Who verified that classification? Again, an officer of AAP’s Punjab Government. Who processed it at higher level? Once again, the same AAP’s Punjab Government official," he said.

He also alleged that state government officials involved in the electoral revision could face political pressure because their postings and transfers are controlled by the government.

AAP rejects allegations

The AAP rejected Chadha’s claims and said the SIR exercise is conducted by the Election Commission, not the state government.

The party said, “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."

It added, “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."

What the draft rolls show

According to Election Commission records, Chadha’s name appears among voters removed from Punjab’s draft rolls as absent, shifted, deceased or duplicate. His entry is marked “permanently shifted”.

The draft rolls published on August 13 excluded around 20.66 lakh names. The claims and objections process will remain open until September 12, while the final electoral rolls are scheduled for publication on October 12.