Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday expressed grave concern that as many as 21 per cent of registered voters in Telangana could be removed from the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, and accused political adversaries of attempting to target the state after their efforts in West Bengal.
Directives to party functionaries for ground verification
Addressing delegates at the Minorities Excellence Summit in Hyderabad, the Chief Minister asked Congress workers to verify voter lists at the household level and to ensure that no eligible elector is disenfranchised. He warned that errors or deliberate deletions during the SIR could amount to significant political damage for his party if not checked.
At a later Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Zoom meeting, Revanth ordered district in-charge ministers to immediately review electoral rolls with parliamentary and Assembly constituency in-charges. He asked in-charge ministers to be physically present in the field and for Assembly-level leaders to remain in their constituencies for four days to identify and resolve roll-related problems.
“Some people are trying to delete votes in the name of SIR. They are saying that after winning in West Bengal, Telangana is now the target. Mamata Banerjee may have let them go in her state, but I already said that Congress workers here will not let them get away with it,”
The Chief Minister directed party units to prepare a constituency-wise report on discrepancies and alleged conspiracies, and to take the matter to the public. He said the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had issued instructions on the issue and that lapses in coordination between ministers, constituency leaders and booth-level workers had contributed to the vulnerability.
Allegations rooted in recent SIR controversies
Revanth referred to reports of large-scale deletions of names during SIR exercises elsewhere, notably West Bengal, and urged Congress cadres to ensure meticulous verification. He warned that failure to act systematically could have long-term political consequences for the party.
While the Chief Minister attributed the potential deletions to a conspiracy by rival political forces, he also emphasised the need for better coordination within his own party machinery to prevent inadvertent removals. He asked for district- and constituency-level audits and immediate corrective action wherever eligible electors were found missing.
What the party has asked its workers to do
- Visit every household in constituencies to verify names on the electoral roll.
- Constituency in-charges to remain in their areas for four days to address local issues.
- District in-charge ministers to review rolls with parliamentary and Assembly in-charges and to spend time in the field.
- Prepare a detailed report for every constituency documenting discrepancies and action taken.
Administrative and electoral context
The Special Intensive Revision is a statutory exercise conducted to update electoral rolls, including additions, deletions and corrections. Political parties frequently monitor SIR activities closely because errors or irregularities can affect voter strength in key constituencies.
Revanth’s remarks place pressure on local election management and administrative machinery to ensure transparency and accuracy. They also signal an aggressive mobilisation strategy by the Congress in Telangana to pre-empt any perceived threat to voter enfranchisement.
Implications for voters and civic action
If deletions occur, affected electors typically have avenues for redress, including filing claims or objections with local electoral registration officers and approaching returning officers or the Election Commission through prescribed channels. The Chief Minister’s call for house-to-house verification aims to detect problems early and lodge corrections before finalisation of the rolls.
| Item | Action directed |
|---|---|
| District review | In-charge ministers to review electoral rolls with constituency in-charges |
| Assembly-level presence | Assembly in-charges to stay in constituency for four days |
| Ground verification | Party workers to visit households and verify voter names |
The Chief Minister’s allegations are likely to shape party activity across Telangana in the coming days as Congress teams intensify fieldwork. Officials of the electoral administration—Election Commission and state CEO offices—have statutory responsibility to publish draft rolls, entertain claims and objections and publicise the process; any systematic problems identified should be addressed through those mechanisms.
Revanth’s appeal underscores the contested nature of voter roll revisions and signals a heightened political focus on electoral roll integrity in Telangana ahead of future polls.
