Raghav Chadha, a Member of Parliament from Punjab, has recently seen his name included in Delhi’s voter list, stirring a significant controversy. This development occurred during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) period of the electoral rolls, shortly after allegations of political harassment surrounding the removal of his name from Punjab’s draft rolls. Chadha’s name was added on September 8, 2026, despite the initial publication of the draft rolls for Delhi on August 31, 2026.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AAP) responded to this situation by accusing Chadha of registering illegally as a voter in Delhi. Chadha has rejected these claims, asserting that he adhered to all the necessary procedures mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Meanwhile, election officials clarified that his name was incorporated during an updating process linked to the ongoing revision.

Chadha, who previously registered as a voter in Punjab since 2024, now appears on the electoral rolls for the Rajinder Nagar constituency in Delhi. Reports indicate that a total of 700 names were approved for inclusion across various constituencies in Delhi by the Election Registration Officers (EROs) during this timeframe.

Allegations and Accusations

The controversy surrounding Chadha’s voter registration has raised numerous questions regarding the process of his inclusion in the Delhi voter list following the draft’s publication. India Today has reached out to the Election Commission seeking further clarification on this issue. The electoral roll in Delhi was suspended from June 16 to August 31 for the SIR exercise, with the draft lists having been finalised on August 31. Chadha’s name was subsequently deleted from the Punjab draft roll on September 3.

According to the statement from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer, about 2.14 lakh Form 6 applications, a form required for new voter registrations, were received before the August 31 deadline. Furthermore, an additional 25,011 applications were submitted during the claims and objections period, which closed on September 7. The finalised voter list is scheduled for release on November 4, 2026.

Under the ECI’s guidelines, individuals omitted from the draft list have the opportunity to re-register by submitting Form 6 during the claims and objections phase. Approved applications are subsequently integrated into the final electoral roll.

Mismatches and Political Jibes

The AAP has raised concerns about specific mismatches within the electoral records. During a press conference, Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP’s Delhi chief, highlighted that Chadha’s name was entered as number 747 in booth number 46 of Rajinder Nagar, while the draft list published on August 31 only showed the last registered number as 746, casting doubt on the legitimacy of his inclusion.

Bharadwaj also questioned how Chadha’s name could be added to the Delhi list while he had previously claimed voting rights in Punjab. This discrepancy has added another layer to the ongoing political disputes. Chadha’s history of voter registration reflects that he had been a registered voter in Rajinder Nagar, as noted in his affidavit for the 2022 Rajya Sabha elections.

In response to the accusations, Chadha characterised the AAP’s actions as reminiscent of a “dumped lover,” suggesting the party was obsessively targeting him following his departure to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite these statements, he has yet to provide a comprehensive explanation of how his name was included in the Delhi voter rolls post-draft publication.

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