Congress Raises Alarm Over Bhagat Singh Photo in Ludhiana Voter List; EC Says It’s Fixed

In a surprising turn of events, a photograph that looks strikingly like freedom fighter Bhagat Singh appeared next to the name of a voter in the Ludhiana East Assembly constituency’s electoral roll. The image, which was positioned at serial number 422 in Part 38, quickly caught the eye of Congress leaders who began to question the reliability of voter records in Punjab.

Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, a senior Congress figure, expressed his frustration on X, writing, “Bas yahi dekhna baaki reh gaya tha…!” – a Hindi phrase that roughly translates to “That was the one thing left to see.” His post underscored a broader concern that such slip‑ups could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

The issue was first raised by Sanjay Talwar, president of the Ludhiana Urban Congress unit, who had already highlighted eight other entries at the same polling booth that he claimed carried incorrect photographs. Talwar demanded a comprehensive review of all 235 booths in the constituency and called for an impartial inquiry, stressing that accurate voter data is essential for safeguarding democratic rights.

According to the Ludhiana district election officer‑cum‑deputy commissioner’s office, the erroneous photograph was part of an earlier version of the roll and inadvertently made its way into the draft list released on 13 August 2026. The mistake was discovered during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a routine verification process, and was promptly corrected. The final, corrected roll was scheduled for publication on 12 October 2026, the administration said, adding that the claim about a Bhagat Singh picture was “misleading” in light of the correction.

The episode comes at a time when the Congress party is already raising eyebrows over electoral roll irregularities elsewhere, notably in Haryana, where senior leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged similar issues. While the Election Commission has not yet issued a formal statement, it is expected to address the matter in its upcoming review of the SIR exercise across Punjab.

For now, the district administration maintains that the error has been fixed and that the official roll carries the correct photograph. Whether the episode will prompt a wider audit of voter lists in the state remains to be seen, but it has certainly added another chapter to the ongoing debate over electoral transparency in India.