Is One in Five Telangana Voters at Risk? Electoral Roll Cleanup Sparks Concern
Indiadailyupdate.com – Is one in five Telangana voters facing the possibility of losing their right to vote? Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has raised serious concerns that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise could exclude a substantial number of genuine voters from the state’s electoral rolls. With approximately 3.38 crore electors registered in Telangana, the reported 73.5 lakh “uncollectable” voter records currently requiring further action would represent roughly 21.7 per cent of the existing electorate—meaning almost one in every five voters could potentially be affected.
CM Calls for Vigilance During Electoral Roll Revision
The Chief Minister has repeatedly urged Congress leaders and party workers to remain vigilant throughout the electoral roll cleanup process. In May, Reddy specifically expressed concern that Dalits, minorities, women, migrant workers, and other vulnerable groups could lose their voting rights if proper verification is not conducted. He called on party workers to ensure that not a single eligible voter was removed from the rolls due to administrative oversights.
Besides the 73.5 lakh non-digitised voter records, more than 88 lakh electors may receive notices over anomalies in their records. These anomalies include cases where voters have been incorrectly classified as shifted, absent, untraceable, or otherwise problematic in the electoral database.
“The EC must first verify every case and allow every genuine voter to establish their eligibility. Cleaning the electoral rolls is necessary, but it cannot become a process of disenfranchising genuine voters.”
Congress Demands Thorough Verification Process
Election Commission officials have stated that 90 per cent of the anomalies could be rectified, and voters could regain their rights through proper documentation and verification. However, Reddy expressed worry that genuine voters could lose their votes if they failed to prove their credentials through the established process within the given timeframe.
The Chief Minister directed the 10 in-charge ministers, MLAs, and constituency leaders to actively work on the SIR process in their respective areas. Meanwhile, the AICC Telangana in-charge, Meenakshi Natarajan, questioned how the Congress leadership did not take a more active interest in the SIR process from the beginning.
Addanki Dayakar, MLC and Congress spokesperson, told THE WEEK that uncollectable voter data shouldn’t automatically translate into loss of voting rights. He emphasized that the Election Commission should provide adequate time and assistance to voters who need to rectify their records.
Congress has formally sought booth-wise information on the 73.39 lakh electors whose enumeration forms were classified as uncollectible. The party wants to understand the specific reasons for their classification and plans to have its booth-level workers verify the cases individually. Additionally, Congress has urged the EC to re-verify questionable cases before deletion and help genuine voters file claims and objections when the draft roll is published.
What Voters Need to Know
The party’s broader strategy involves identifying voters who have been wrongly classified and assisting them in retaining or restoring their names on the rolls. Congress leaders have stressed that no eligible voter should lose the right to vote due to an administrative or documentation issue alone.
Voters affected by the SIR exercise are advised to keep their enumeration forms, identity proofs, and address documents ready. Those who receive notices should respond promptly and visit their local electoral registration office if required. Booth-level Congress workers have been instructed to help voters understand the process and complete necessary formalities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?
The SIR is a comprehensive exercise conducted by the Election Commission to update and clean the electoral rolls. It aims to remove duplicate entries, deceased voters, and those who have shifted permanently, while ensuring all eligible voters are included.
Why are voters being classified as “uncollectable”?
Voters may be classified as uncollectable due to various reasons including incomplete enumeration forms, address mismatches, failure to respond to notices, or discrepancies in personal details during the verification process.
How can affected voters restore their names?
Affected voters can file claims and objections when the draft electoral roll is published. They should submit supporting documents such as identity proofs, address proofs, and any other relevant certificates to their local electoral registration office.
What is the deadline for filing claims?
Voters should check the official notification from the Election Commission for specific deadlines. Generally, claims and objections can be filed within the stipulated period mentioned in the draft roll publication notice.
For more updates on Telangana politics and electoral developments, readers can visit THE WEEK India news section.
