Election Commission Debunks MP Dharamvir Gandhi’s Voter‑Roll Allegations

The Election Commission of India (ECI) stepped in on Friday to set the record straight after Congress MP Dharamvir Gandhi claimed that his family’s names were missing from Punjab’s draft electoral rolls.

Gandhi told reporters that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in the state had turned “confusing” and that voter‑mapping for him, his wife, his daughter, his daughter‑in‑law and his son had allegedly not been completed. He said he was personally informed that the five names were absent.

However, the ECI’s official statement dismissed the allegation as “incorrect, baseless and unsubstantiated.” According to the commission, all five family members appear in the draft rolls released on 13 August 2026, listed under Assembly Constituency No. 115 – Patiala, Part No. 98, at serial numbers 44 to 48.

“All esteemed members of the media are requested to refrain from reporting unverified information regarding SIR 2026,” the ECI added, urging journalists to rely on the published roll rather than hearsay.

The episode highlights the tensions that sometimes arise during massive voter‑list updates, especially in a state as politically active as Punjab. While the SIR exercise aims to make the roll cleaner and more accurate, any perceived hiccup can quickly become a headline.

For now, the commission’s clarification puts the matter to rest: Dharamvir Gandhi and his family are indeed registered electors in Patiala, and the alleged omission does not exist in the official draft.