Telangana Begins Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls Amid Concerns Over BLO Reach

BLOs will distribute pre-printed enumeration forms in duplicate, explain how to complete them, and assist voters during follow-ups.

HYDERABAD: As Telangana begins its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, questions remain over whether booth-level officers (BLOs) will physically reach every voter. Similar challenges in states like West Bengal and Gujarat, where locked houses, apartment complexes, migrant settlements and urban localities made contact difficult, had led to electors being marked absent or untraceable during verification. Political parties in Telangana have already flagged gaps in the pre-SIR mapping exercise, particularly in urban areas. Experts warn inadequate household visits could trigger disputes over omissions from draft rolls, making field verification one of the most closely watched stages of the revision. Voters who do not return their enumeration forms during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) risk being left out of the draft electoral roll after booth-level officers (BLOs) verify their status (absent, deceased, shifted or duplicate voters). Election authorities, however, say the exclusion is not final and eligible voters can seek inclusion during the claims and objections period. If an enumeration form is not returned, the BLO would make inquiries with nearby residents to ascertain the elector’s status. Those identified as absent, deceased, shifted or duplicate, classified as ASD voters, will not figure in the draft electoral roll scheduled to be published on July 31. The issue assumes significance in urban areas, which have large migrant and floating population. Voters who are away might miss BLO visits or fail to submit the forms within the prescribed period. Experiences during similar exercises in Gujarat and Bihar showed that non-returned forms became a major trigger for scrutiny of voter records.

C Sudarshan Reddy, CEO

From June 25 to July 24, BLOs must visit each household at least three times. They will distribute pre-printed enumeration forms in duplicate, explain how to complete them, and assist voters during follow-ups. BLOs must collect the completed forms, retain one copy, and sign the second as acknowledgement. All forms are to be collected by July 24. BLOs are required to make at least three visits to every household to distribute and collect the forms. If an elector is away, an adult family member can fill in and sign the form on the elector’s behalf. Citizens turning 18 by Oct 1, will receive Form 6 and a declaration form for enrolment as new voters. If an elector is absent, BLOs may hand the form to an adult family member. If forms remain unreturned, BLOs must inquire with neighbours to confirm whether the elector is absent, deceased, shifted, or duplicated. Forms can also be submitted through the voters.eci.gov.in portal when the elector’s name in the electoral roll matches the details on Aadhaar card. Those who do not receive forms can contact their BLO or obtain details through the CEO Telangana website or ECINET app. Telangana chief electoral officer C Sudharshan Reddy said, “If they do not get the enumeration form, they can do it online, and relatives can fill it up for people who are not here.”

Congress flags anomalies

Voters who miss a BLO visit can access officer contact details via the chief electoral officer, Telangana website, use the ‘Book a call with BLO’ facility on the ECI site or ECINET app, or call the voter helpline at 1950. TPCC election commission coordination committee chairman P Rajesh Kumar questioned how voters could return forms when BLOs do not visit them. Eligible voters left out of the draft roll could file claims between July 31 and Aug 30. Those found eligible will be included in final electoral rolls, scheduled for publication on Oct 1. The revision exercise has also triggered political reactions. Chief minister Revanth Reddy on Monday called upon ministers, MPs, MLCs, MLAs, party leaders and workers to remain vigilant during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and warned that the deletion of genuine voters could pose a serious political problem for Congress in future elections.

CM Revanth Reddy

The CM addressed an online meeting on SIR organised by TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and attended by AICC in charge for Telangana Meenakshi Natarajan, ministers and party leaders. Revanth also directed the district in charge ministers to review the progress of the exercise with parliamentary and assembly constituency in charges by June 20. AICC incharge Meenakshi Natarajan urged Congress workers to remain vigilant. The BJP and the EC have made the theft of votes their agenda, she alleged. Meanwhile, BJP state president N Ramchander Rao accused Congress, BRS, and AIMIM parties opposing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of resorting to mud slinging for political gains and also fearing losing bogus votes in the purification of electoral rolls initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

BJP state president N Ramchander Rao

“Congress, BRS, and MIM are misleading the public and spreading false information on SIR. This process has been successfully carried out 12 times in the country so far. The SIR is conducted solely for registering new voters, deleting the names of deceased individuals, and modifying the details of those who have changed their addresses,” Ramchander Rao said at a press conference on Monday. He said that SIR was not a program launched personally by PM Modi or the central govt, but a continuous, constitutionally mandated process conducted by the ECI.