Telangana flags risk to 93 lakh voters

CM writes to CEC, seeks extended timeline, safeguards SIR

metro india news  I hyderabad

The Telangana government has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to significantly enlarge the claims and objections window and introduce multiple procedural safeguards in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that nearly one-third of the state’s electorate risks disenfranchisement if corrective measures are not taken promptly. In a detailed semi-official letter dated August 28, addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the state government highlighted alarming figures emerging from the revision exercise. Against an electoral roll of 3.38 crore electors as on June 10, 2026, approximately 73.39 lakh entries—representing 21.7 per cent of the total—have been placed under the Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate (ASD) categories. Separately, of the 2.65 crore enumeration forms digitised so far, 60.50 lakh have been flagged for anomalies and another 32.36 lakh for lacking a link to the earlier roll.

These two distinct sets together total 92.86 lakh electors who must now either prove their entitlement afresh or face exclusion from the final rolls.“ Stated plainly, something close to one third of the electorate of the State must now either prove its entitlement afresh or lose its place on the final roll,” the letter noted. Of particular concern is the composition of the ASD list. Nearly 62 per cent of the 73.39 lakh flagged entries—45.19 lakh—have been classified as “permanently shifted.” The government argued that the current verification methodology suffers from critical structural flaws that systematically threaten eligible voters. There is no distinction drawn between temporary absence and permanent relocation.

A voter who is away from home for work, travel or other reasons when a Booth Level Officer visits may be treated like someone who has permanently relocated. While relocated electors receive little assistance to enrol at new addresses, their names may be marked for deletion from previous rolls. Deletions under the “shifted” category also bypass formal notice procedures, potentially leaving eligible voters unaware until election day.

The burden is unevenly distributed. Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Rangareddy account for one-third of Telangana’s electors but 58.6 per cent of ASD entries and 41.9 per cent of verification notices. Frequent movement and short tenancies make continuous residence records difficult to maintain.

The state has sought six measures: a four-week extension of the claims and objections period; public reading of draft rolls at Gram Sabhas and Ward Committee meetings; three to four weeks for voters to respond to notices; booth-level helpdesks; a wider, clearly defined list of admissible documents; and stronger Electoral Registration Officer capacity.

It has also sought decentralised hearings, staggered dates and additional officers, particularly in high-burden districts. In Hyderabad, notice loads exceed 78,000 cases per Assembly constituency, making personal hearings at existing capacity impractical.

The government stressed that the Special Intensive Revision must exclude ineligible voters without disenfranchising genuine electors. It assured the Election Commission of logistical support, including helpdesks, public meetings and information campaigns. The Election Commission’s response is awaited.