SIR: ECI Completes 53% Voter Mapping in Telangana

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI), which is gearing up for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters in Telangana in coming months, has completed 53 per cent voter mapping across the State.

In this regard, the Chief Electoral Officer of the state has convened a meeting of political parties on Thursday to discuss and seek their cooperation during the upcoming SIR.

A total of 35,985 BLOs (Booth-Level Officers) are on ground in the 119 assembly constituencies of Telangana to cover 3.39 crore electors across the State. In each mandal and municipality, the Assistant Registration Officer, a tehsildar-level official, is monitoring the SIR process.

Thursday’s meeting is intended to clear any misconceptions about SIR. Representatives of over a dozen recognised political parties will be informed about the exercise. “Once SIR is launched, the entire process will be completed in a three to four months period. Since there is need for cooperation at booth level, political parties should depute their Booth-Level Agents (BLAs) to avert any possibility of mistakes. The entire exercise on ground will be conducted in the presence of BLAs. The purification exercise of the electoral roll will be easy if officials and political leaders coordinate,” explained a high official to Deccan Chronicle.

Progeny mapping helps ease process

The ECI has taken up “progeny mapping,”, a verification process to authenticate voters based on the 2002 electoral rolls as part of the ongoing voter mapping. Based on the parent’s records of 2002, the offspring will be deemed eligible. “Those who have clear records will just have to fill the enumeration form. Otherwise, they may have to produce the relevant documents, including Aadhaar, which is now acceptable in the wake of Supreme Court’s directive,” the official explained.

In the interim, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have started advising residents to cooperate with BLOs in their localities. They are highlighting that the purpose of SIR is to verify the residents’ details, delete duplicate / shifted voters, and ensure an updated, error-free voter list.

“The government had authorised the BLOs to visit your house for family mapping. All the residents are requested to cooperate and assist officers in family mapping from the voter list of 2002,” reads a circular of Al-Hasnath Colony Welfare Association in Tolichowki.

However, apprehensions persist regarding the exercise. During the recently concluded assembly session, MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi challenged the SIR. “When SIR had been undertaken in Bihar, not a single Muslim in that State had been found to be from either Bangladesh or Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi has taken up the issue citing “vote chori,” even as the SIR has deprived lakhs of their voting rights,” Akbar had charged during a heated debate in the assembly.