BRS seeks deferment of Panchayat voter rolls amid Telangana floods

The BRS has urged the State Election Commission to defer Panchayat voter roll revision, citing floods that devastated Telangana. The party warned that continuing the exercise would be impractical and inhuman, as citizens and officials remain engaged in relief efforts

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has appealed to the State Election Commission (SEC) to defer the preparation of Gram Panchayat voter rolls in view of the devastating floods crippling large parts of Telangana. With the TSEC planning to publish the final voters list on September 2, the party warned that holding the exercise during a natural calamity would undermine democratic participation and deepen citizens’ distress.

In a letter to the State Election Commissioner, BRS working president KT Rama Rao, along with MLCs L Ramana and Dasoju Sravan, highlighted the havoc caused by incessant rains that triggered flash floods in Medak, Sangareddy, Siddipet, Kamareddy, Nizamabad, Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts.

---

They pointed out that lakhs of acres of paddy, cotton and maize have been destroyed, while thousands of cattle, goats and sheep have perished. Critical infrastructure, including roads, power supply, irrigation systems and even coal mines, has been badly damaged, causing a severe economic setback for the State.

The BRS leaders termed the TSEC’s notification (No. 548/TGSEC-PR/2025), which provides only a five-day window between August 28 and September 2 for the revision of the voters list, as impractical and inhuman, especially as forecasts predict heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming week. They asked how citizens struggling to save their families, crops and belongings could be expected to participate in electoral formalities.

They also stressed that many Panchayat and Mandal offices remain flooded or inaccessible, making voter verification impossible. They argued that the administrative machinery is currently engaged in relief and rehabilitation work and cannot be burdened with election duties without compromising both.

Under these circumstances, the BRS demanded that the Commission defer the schedule until normalcy returns, consult district authorities before rescheduling and ensure a transparent and humane process. They cautioned that forcing electoral exercises in the midst of a calamity would undermine the sanctity of democratic participation itself.