BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has raised questions after his name was marked as “shifted” in Punjab’s draft electoral rolls prepared during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

Chadha, who remains a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab and has his voter registration in Mohali, alleged that the classification was not a routine clerical error and accused the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government of political vendetta.

The electoral rolls currently under discussion are draft lists, with the final rolls scheduled to be published in October 2026.

Raghav Chadha questions voter list classification

Chadha said he was surprised to find his name classified as “shifted” despite being a sitting MP from Punjab.

He questioned how such a classification was made and pointed to the involvement of officials at different stages of the electoral roll revision process. According to Chadha, Booth Level Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers are part of the process.

He alleged that these officials could potentially face political pressure because their transfers and postings are controlled by the state government.

Chadha also referred to Paragraph 4(d) of the Election Commission of India’s SIR guidelines. He said the provision requires public representatives, including MPs and MLAs, whose names are flagged in the electoral database to be included in the draft rolls so that they can participate in the claims and objections process.

He alleged that this provision was not followed in his case.

Punjab CEO seeks report on Chadha’s voter status

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra told that she was not aware of any deletion of Chadha’s name from the electoral rolls.

She said a detailed report would be sought from the district election authorities to determine whether his name had actually been deleted and, if so, the reason for the action.

Mitra also pointed out that the claims and objections process is currently underway. September 13 is the deadline for filing appeals over changes or discrepancies in the electoral rolls.

AAP rejects political vendetta allegation

The controversy has also drawn a response from the Aam Aadmi Party.

AAP leader Neel Garg rejected Chadha’s allegation, saying the party had no interest in deleting the vote of any individual. He instead alleged that the issue was being raised by the BJP and referred to the SIR exercises in Bihar and West Bengal.

Chadha joined the BJP in April 2026 along with six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs.

The dispute comes as Punjab’s electoral rolls undergo revision ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Since the claims and objections process is still open, the status of Chadha’s name is subject to the ongoing electoral process.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has criticised the recent restructuring of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party is effectively deciding the appointments made to the body.

His remarks came after the Trust appointed three new members and named retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mishra, who previously headed the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor, is expected to oversee the temple’s management and financial affairs.

Yadav questioned the process of selecting the new officials, saying that while the appointments may be presented as impartial, the BJP was behind the selections.

He also raised questions about the clean chit given to Trust general secretary Champat Rai in the donation theft case. Yadav asked why those who worked under officials who received a clean chit were not similarly cleared.

Ram Temple Trust appoints three new members

The Trust has inducted Madan Mohan Pandey from Ayodhya, Mahesh Bhagchandka from Delhi and Nirmala Yadav from Shikohabad as new members.

The changes followed the arrest of several people in connection with the alleged theft of donations and the resignation of some Trust officials.

Eight people linked to the donation theft have been arrested, with some reportedly caught on camera during the alleged acts. Champat Rai’s driver was among those arrested. Rai later received a clean chit from the Special Investigation Team probing the case.

Opposition questions CEO appointment

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Rai also criticised the decision to appoint a CEO. He said there was no need for such a position and argued that a religious scholar should instead be appointed, with the selection made by religious leaders, Shankaracharyas, saints and seers.

The latest appointments and administrative changes have therefore triggered renewed political debate over the management of the Ram Temple Trust and the handling of its finances.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has defended India’s 7.8 per cent GDP growth recorded in the April-June 2026 quarter, hitting out at those questioning the credibility of the latest economic data.

Speaking at the annual session of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) in Delhi on Wednesday, Mr Goyal said critics were comparing figures from different GDP series and accused them of misleading the public.

The minister said the base year had changed and argued that comparisons should be made using the same series.

Piyush Goyal Targets GDP Critics

Without naming them directly, Mr Goyal appeared to refer to former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg and former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan, both of whom have raised questions about the latest growth figures.

Mr Goyal said ministers do not manufacture GDP data and maintained that the figures reflected the truth. He also criticised what he described as a negative approach towards India’s economic performance.

He further took a swipe at critics questioning why strong economic growth had not translated into more jobs, saying they were “the only jobless people left” and suggesting that appearing on television panels was the only job they were pursuing.

Raghuram Rajan Questions Growth And Jobs

Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has expressed doubts over whether the latest growth numbers accurately reflect the state of the economy.

Rajan questioned whether the reported growth was real and pointed to what he described as discrepancies that needed attention. He also raised concerns about employment and investment.

He asked why, if the economy was growing at such a rapid pace, India was not generating more jobs, particularly better-quality jobs, and why investment was not picking up.

Subhash Chandra Garg Raises Base-Year Concerns

Former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg also questioned the headline 7.8 per cent growth figure.

Garg said the figure appeared impressive but needed to be examined in greater detail. He pointed to a revision in the previous year’s current-price GDP, saying it had been revised from Rs 86 trillion to Rs 80 trillion.

According to Garg, without that revision, growth in current prices would have been only 2.6 per cent.

The debate comes after India recorded 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the April-June quarter, with questions being raised over the methodology, revisions and the relationship between headline growth and job creation.