BJP Rajya Sabha MP’s voter registration in Rajinder Nagar triggers a fresh political dispute, with AAP seeking clarity over the timing and processing of his application

Raghav Chadha’s name has reappeared on Delhi’s electoral roll, triggering a fresh political controversy between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The development comes days after Chadha’s name was removed from Punjab’s draft electoral roll, where he had been listed among voters considered to have “permanently shifted”.

Chadha’s inclusion in Delhi’s voter list has prompted AAP leaders to question the procedure followed during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party has sought details about the application process, the timing of the approval and the manner in which his name was added after the draft roll had already been published.

Raghav Chadha’s Name Added in Rajinder Nagar

Chadha’s name has appeared in the electoral roll for Booth Number 46 in Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar Assembly constituency. The entry has become politically significant because the draft electoral roll for the relevant polling part was published on August 31.

AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned how Chadha’s name could be added to the same polling part after the draft roll had been published. The party has raised concerns over whether the prescribed procedure was followed and whether the inclusion was properly reflected in the relevant public lists.

The controversy has emerged at a time when Delhi’s electoral rolls are undergoing revision ahead of the publication of the final voter list.

AAP Seeks Details of Form 6 Application

AAP has questioned the processing of Chadha’s Form 6 application, which is used by eligible citizens to apply for inclusion in the electoral roll.

The party has sought clarity on several points, including:

• When Chadha submitted his Form 6 application

• When the application was scrutinised and approved

• Whether the application was included in the relevant Form 9 lists

• Why his name was not visible in the publicly uploaded lists

• How the entry appeared after the draft electoral roll was published

• Whether the addition followed the applicable SIR guidelines

According to the report cited in the dispute, the Form 9 lists uploaded for Rajinder Nagar between September 1 and September 7 contained 205 applicants. Chadha’s name, however, was reportedly not included in those lists.

AAP has argued that the absence of his name from the Form 9 lists raises questions about the transparency of the process. The party has called for the Election Commission and the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office to explain the sequence of events.

Delhi CEO Office Explains Electoral Roll Updation

The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office has clarified that electoral roll updation continued during the SIR process. It stated that approved applications for inclusion, deletion and modification could continue to be processed and would subsequently be reflected in the electoral database.

The office further explained that such approved changes would be published as supplementary additions to the final electoral roll.

Around 214,000 Form 6 applications were submitted during the pre-SIR period. Another 25,011 applications were received during the claims and objections period up to September 7.

Of these applications, approximately 700 had been approved by Electoral Registration Officers across Delhi by Tuesday. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4.

The clarification indicates that the publication of the draft roll does not necessarily bring all electoral roll-related activity to an end. However, the political dispute centres on whether Chadha’s particular application was processed and disclosed in accordance with the required procedure.

Chadha Rejects Allegations

Raghav Chadha has rejected the allegations raised by AAP and said that he followed all applicable Election Commission guidelines and procedures.

He described the accusations as frivolous and alleged that AAP was targeting him following his departure from the party. Chadha moved from AAP to the BJP in April and is currently a BJP Rajya Sabha MP.

The former AAP leader had earlier been registered as a voter in Delhi. He later shifted his electoral registration to Punjab and voted in SAS Nagar during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

His latest registration in Delhi has therefore become a political issue, particularly because it follows the deletion of his name from Punjab’s draft electoral roll.

Chadha’s Name Removed from Punjab Draft Roll

Before his name appeared in Delhi’s electoral roll, Chadha’s name had been removed from Punjab’s draft voter list. He was reportedly listed under the category of voters considered to have permanently shifted.

Chadha had alleged that the deletion was politically motivated. The latest development has intensified the dispute over his voter registration and raised questions about the process through which electoral records are updated when a voter changes residence or constituency.

The Election Commission’s electoral roll revision process allows eligible citizens to seek inclusion, correction or deletion through prescribed forms. However, political parties often scrutinise such changes when they involve prominent leaders or occur close to elections.

Electoral Roll Transparency at the Centre of Dispute

The controversy has once again brought electoral roll management and transparency into the political spotlight. The inclusion or deletion of a voter’s name involves multiple stages, including submission of an application, verification, approval by the Electoral Registration Officer and publication in the electoral database.

AAP’s allegations focus on the timing of Chadha’s inclusion and the reported absence of his name from the relevant Form 9 lists. The Delhi CEO office, meanwhile, has maintained that approved applications can be reflected through supplementary additions during the revision process.

The final electoral roll is expected to provide a clearer picture of the status of Chadha’s registration. Until then, the dispute is likely to remain a point of political contention between AAP and the BJP.

Political Significance of the Development

Chadha’s return to Delhi’s electoral roll carries significance beyond the technical process of voter registration. His move from AAP to the BJP has already generated political debate, and the simultaneous disputes over his voter records in Delhi and Punjab have added another dimension to the issue.

For AAP, the matter raises questions about the consistency and transparency of electoral roll procedures. For Chadha, the issue is linked to his political transition and his claim that he has complied with all applicable rules.

The controversy is expected to continue until the Election Commission or the Delhi CEO office provides further details about the application, verification and approval process.