Politics
How Was Raghav Chadha’s Name Added to Delhi Voter List? Poll Body Explains Form 6 Process as AAP Raises ‘Back Door’ Charge
Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer says Raghav Chadha applied through Form 6 on August 26 and his request was approved on September 2 after the mandatory seven-day notice period; AAP has demanded that the application be made public.
A fresh political dispute has emerged over the inclusion of Raghav Chadha’s name in the Rajinder Nagar electoral roll, with the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office saying the application was processed according to the procedure prescribed by the Election Commission of India.
The clarification came on Wednesday after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned how Chadha’s name had been added to the Delhi voter list.
According to the Delhi CEO office, Chadha submitted Form 6 on August 26, 2026, seeking inclusion of his name in the electoral roll for Assembly Constituency 39 (Rajinder Nagar).
The application was subsequently approved on September 2, after completion of the mandatory notice period.
What did the Delhi poll body say?
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office said its available records show that Chadha applied for inclusion through Form 6 on August 26.
According to the poll body, the application was approved by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) only after the completion of the mandatory seven-day notice period.
The CEO office maintained that the application was handled in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Election Commission.
Under election rules, Form 6 is used by eligible citizens seeking to have their names included in an electoral roll when they are not already registered there, subject to the required eligibility checks and supporting documents.
AAP alleges name was added ‘through the back door’
The explanation, however, has not ended the controversy.
AAP rejected the poll body’s clarification and alleged that Chadha’s name had been included in the electoral roll “through the back door.”
Anurag Dhanda, AAP’s national media in-charge, demanded that Chadha’s Form 6 application be made public, arguing that citizens should have the opportunity to raise objections in accordance with the applicable electoral process.
Dhanda also questioned whether any political pressure had played a role in the inclusion.
The Election Commission or Delhi CEO office, in the information provided, has not supported that allegation.
AAP raises questions over Form 6 records
AAP has also questioned the timeline surrounding the application.
Dhanda claimed that Chadha’s name was not visible among the Form 6 applications received in Rajinder Nagar between September 1 and September 7.
He further questioned how Chadha came to appear as the 747th entry when the draft electoral roll reportedly contained 746 electors and the final electoral roll had yet to be published.
The Delhi poll body offered an explanation for the serial-number issue.
Why did the name appear after entry number 746?
The CEO office referred to Election Commission guidelines dated May 14 concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
According to the clarification, names added during the SIR period can be assigned serial numbers in continuation from the final entry appearing in the draft electoral roll.
This, the poll body indicated, explains why a newly approved entry could appear immediately after the 746 names already contained in the draft roll.
The CEO office also reiterated that any eligible individual whose name is absent from an electoral roll can submit Form 6 with the prescribed supporting documents to seek registration.
Political questions remain despite poll body’s clarification
The dispute has now moved beyond the mechanics of voter registration, with AAP demanding greater transparency around the individual application while the Delhi election authorities maintain that the prescribed procedure was followed.
At the centre of the controversy are two competing positions: the Delhi CEO office says Chadha’s application went through the required seven-day process, while AAP continues to question how and when the application became visible in the electoral records.
Whether the publication of further documentation resolves those questions remains to be seen.
For now, the poll body’s position is clear the Form 6 application was filed on August 26, the mandatory notice period was completed, and the inclusion was approved on September 2 according to the prescribed process.
