Raghav Chadha's name deleted from electoral rolls under ECI's SIR
What's the story
Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Raghav Chadha has alleged political vendetta after his name was removed from the draft electoral rolls following the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. His entry was marked as "permanently shifted." He has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which he recently left to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of using state administrative machinery against him.
Allegations made
Chadha's name included in ASDD list
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.
He is among 20.66 lakh voters whose names have been removed.
Reacting, Chadha questioned why he was classified as "shifted" when his voter ID is registered in Mohali.
He said he is availing remedies under SIR guidelines and called the deletion a "clear case of political vendetta."
Twitter Post
Read his post here
The AAP government in Punjab has now taken its politics of revenge to the Draft Electoral Rolls.
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 3, 2026
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.
Thankfully,… pic.twitter.com/laAFAAWYiQ
Reaction
AAP 'leadership has been burning with anger'
"This does not seem like a mere clerical mistake. This is a clear case of political vendetta," Chadha said on X.
He said ever since he left the AAP, 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," he wrote.
Political shift
Chadha left AAP for BJP in April
Chadha had quit the AAP and joined the BJP in April, accusing the AAP of deviating from its principles, values, and morals.
The party, however, accused him of being "opportunistic" and questioned his commitment to key political battles.
Other MPs who left the AAP for BJP have also been targeted by the Punjab government, Chadha said, adding that "wrongful classification" was only the "latest act in that political vendetta."
Eligibility status
Objections window for SIR is open till September 12
The controversy has sparked a political backlash from the AAP. Party leader Neel Garg denied that the AAP had any interest in deleting an individual's vote, claiming that the controversy was the work of the BJP.
He referred to the SIR exercise undertaken in Bihar and West Bengal and questioned the BJP's motivations in raising the subject.
The claims and objections window for SIR is open till September 12, with final electoral rolls expected to be published in October 2026.