Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has publicly accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government of engaging in political vendetta after his name was marked as "permanently shifted" in the state's draft electoral rolls. The politician, who is registered to vote in Mohali, stated on September 3, 2026, that this was not a mere clerical error but a deliberate act.
Chadha's name appeared on the ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Deceased, and Duplicate) List, which was published on August 13. The reason cited for his inclusion on this list was "permanently shifted," implying that election authorities believed he had relocated from his registered address.
In a social media post, Chadha alleged that multiple officials working under the Punjab government were involved in this process. He claimed these officers are aware that the AAP government holds control over their transfers, postings, and career progression once their electoral duties conclude.
"These officers know AAP Government controls their transfers, postings and careers once their electoral duty ends. They know who can transfer them and who can make their lives difficult. This is how the AAP government applies political pressure through state officers to execute the political revenge," Chadha wrote.
The AAP-turned-BJP Rajya Sabha MP further stated that the AAP leadership has been "burning with anger" since he departed the party in April of this year. He alleged that the Punjab Police and the state's administrative machinery have been deployed against those who left AAP and joined the BJP, calling the wrongful classification of his voter status the "latest act in that political vendetta."
Chadha noted that the electoral rolls are currently in draft form, and voters have the opportunity to seek corrections through the ongoing 'Claims and Objections' process. The final electoral rolls are slated for publication in October 2026, and Chadha confirmed he is availing the remedies available under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) guidelines.
He also highlighted Paragraph 4(d) of the Election Commission’s detailed SIR guidelines, which outlines a "protected list" for public representatives, including MPs and MLAs. This provision stipulates that names of judicial members, public representatives, and other specified personalities flagged in the electoral database should be included in the draft rolls to facilitate document submission during the claims and objections period. Chadha asserted that this provision was "wilfully violated" in his specific case.
"AAP may run the Punjab Government, but Punjab’s Draft Electoral Rolls are not its private property," Chadha concluded, underscoring his belief that the state's electoral process should remain impartial.
An entry marked as "permanently shifted" in SIR typically indicates that the Booth Level Officer (BLO) or election authorities, often through house-to-house inquiries, have determined a voter no longer resides at their registered address. Consequently, the voter's name is placed on the ASDD list and subsequently deleted or omitted from the draft electoral roll.