Punjab’s draft voter list: BJP MP Raghav Chadha’s name appears as ‘Shifted’ (transferred voter) in Punjab’s draft voter list. Chadha has termed this an act of political vendetta. Meanwhile, the AAP states that preparing the voter list is a process handled by the Election Commission.
New Delhi: Just imagine… you go to cast your vote one day, only to be told “Sorry, you don’t actually live here!”
A similar situation has come to light in Punjab. The only difference is that this case involves not an ordinary voter, but BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha. In Punjab’s draft voter list, Raghav Chadha’s status has been marked as ‘Shifted’—meaning, according to the records, he has moved away from that location to somewhere else. Now, the question arises: where has Raghav Chadha gone? And an even bigger question: what did the voter list discover that Raghav Chadha himself is unaware of?
What did Raghav Chadha say?
Raising questions about the matter, Raghav Chadha has described it as an act of political vendetta. He points out that he is a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab and his voter registration is in Mohali. How, then, did his status get recorded as ‘permanently shifted’? Chadha’s question is straightforward:
“If I have shifted, please tell me where exactly have I shifted to?” However, the matter does not end there.
Chadha alleged that this is not merely a routine technical glitch in the voter list; rather, there could be political vendetta behind it.
Now, there is another twist in the tale. Raghav Chadha joined the BJP after leaving the Aam Aadmi Party in April 2026. Following this, his name now appears as ‘Shifted’ in Punjab’s draft voter list. Is there a connection between the two events? Or is this simply an administrative procedure where reading politics into it would be premature? AAP Dismisses Allegations
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also responded to Chadha’s allegations
AAP states that a ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) of the electoral roll is currently underway in Punjab, a process conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission. The party clarified that adding or removing a person’s name from the voter list, or altering their status, is not within the state government’s purview.
In essence, AAP’s response is: “Whether a name appears on the voter list or not is a matter for the Election Commission to decide why ask us?” AAP has also sought clarification from Raghav Chadha regarding his current voter registration and residency details. While it is common in politics for allegations to be met with counter-allegations, this situation is somewhat different.
On one hand, the leader claims he is being targeted for political vendetta. On the other, the party maintains it has no role in the matter. Caught in the middle is the voter list itself.
It’s Currently a Draft List; Final Decision Pending
It is crucial to understand one important point here: the list released so far is merely a draft voter list.
This means it is not the final electoral roll. Claims and objections regarding names, addresses, or voter status can be filed against the draft list. The final voter list is issued only after necessary verification and corrections. Therefore, the fact that Raghav Chadha’s name is currently marked as ‘shifted’ cannot be considered a final verdict.
Political Uproar Over SIR
A political debate regarding the SIR process in Punjab has already been ongoing. Questions are being raised about the removal of names or changes in voter status during the revision of the electoral roll. The debate has intensified following the emergence of Raghav Chadha’s case.
This is because the issue extends beyond just Raghav Chadha. Questions are also being raised about the transparency of the process for adding, removing, or marking names as ‘shifted’ in the voter list. Furthermore, how easy will it be to rectify the situation if a leader’s name has been removed by mistake?
After all, the voter list isn’t something where one can simply say, “Oh, the name is missing? No worries, we’ll check next time.” The right to vote is directly linked to the democratic process.
What happens next?
For now, Raghav Chadha has alleged political vendetta, while the AAP has denied any role in the matter. The true picture will become clearer only after the process of claims, objections, and the publication of the final electoral roll. That is when we will know whether the ‘shifting’ of Raghav Chadha’s name on the voter list was merely a matter of paperwork… or if the list had genuinely moved him elsewhere!
One thing is certain: another issue has been added to the landscape of Punjab politics. And in electoral politics, wherever the voter list is involved, political maneuvering inevitably follows.
