Raghav Chadha tried to sneak into Delhi voter rolls: AAP
What's the story
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused former party leader and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha of trying to manipulate Delhi's voter rolls. The party claimed that Chadha has been caught trying to get his voter registration made in Delhi through a "backdated process." The allegations came after Chadha claimed his name was deleted from Punjab's draft electoral rolls during the ongoing SIR. The draft list shows Chadha as "permanently shifted," among 20.66 lakh voters deleted.
Vendetta allegations
Chadha accuses AAP of political vendetta
Chadha has accused the AAP-led Punjab government of political vendetta.
He questioned why he was marked as "shifted" when his voter ID is registered in Mohali.
Chadha said this does not seem like a mere clerical mistake but a clear case of political vendetta.
Chadha's name was included in the Absent, Shifted, Deceased and Duplicate (ASDD) list released on August 13. The Indian Express reported that the list had Chadha's name under the "permanently shifted" category.
Registration controversy
Chadha has been living in Delhi, not in Punjab
The AAP, however, said that the SIR is conducted by the Election Commission, not the state government, and hence, 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," it said.
Denial of involvement
'Chadha trying to get voter registration made in Rajinder Nagar'
The AAP also said 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."
"If any such backdated or unlawful exercise has taken place, it must be investigated and the entire truth brought before the public," it said.
Legal recourse
Guidelines say public representatives should be retained: Chadha
Chadha has said he will challenge his classification under the SIR framework.
He alleged multiple levels of the electoral process in Punjab are manned by state government officials.
"Who marked me as 'shifted?' An official of the AAP government," he alleged.
He said ever since he left the "corrupt Aam Aadmi Party, its leadership has been burning with anger."
"It has unleashed the Punjab Police and the Punjab Government's administrative machinery against those of us who refused to remain silent."