SIR in Hyderabad: Several doubts and questions are being raised by voters, and Telangana Today provides answers to address them
Telangana Today answers 50 common questions on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, explaining voter registration, enumeration forms, duplicate votes, document requirements, BLO visits, corrections, and measures to protect eligible voting rights
Hyderabad: Since the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral process began in Hyderabad and across Telangana State, many doubts have been arising among everyone, with what should be done to ensure that an existing vote is not lost becoming a major question. Even when asked, there are no people giving authoritative answers.
Against this backdrop, Telangana Today has said it is making an effort to clear 50 commonly expressed doubts on the SIR and remove suspicions by obtaining answers from officials and presenting them to readers.
Questions being raised include what steps should be taken if the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) do not provide the enumeration form, and whether another enumeration form will be issued if details are entered incorrectly in the enumeration form given by the BLO.
Voters are also seeking clarity on what to do if a mistake is noticed after receiving the enumeration form, and whether wrongly filled details can be struck off and filled in again. Other concerns relate to situations where a vote exists in 2 Telugu states, and whether a change of house could result in the loss of a vote.
Further doubts are being voiced about the status of those whose names are not on the 2002 SIR list, and about whether a vote will be cancelled if enumeration papers are not submitted by the prescribed deadline. Voters are also asking what should be done to obtain a new vote.
In this context, Telangana Today is providing comprehensive answers for voters to follow.
What is the real purpose of “SIR”?
Answer: According to the Election Commission, the aim of ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) of the electoral roll) is to protect the voting rights of eligible voters and weed out ineligible votes.
Officials said the exercise helps keep the voter list accurate by removing duplicate entries and deleting the names of those who have died or permanently moved elsewhere.
What should be done if the BLO does not visit the house?
If the BLO does not come home to deliver the enumeration form, you can find the concerned BLO’s phone number on the State Election Commission’s website https://voters.eci.gov.in or through the ECI app ECINET and contact them. You can also get information by calling the Election Commission helpline at 1950.
What if nobody is at home when the BLO visits?
As part of the SIR process, BLOs go door-to-door and distribute enumeration forms. They are supposed to visit each home at least three times. Even if no one is at home during one visit, the form can be collected when the BLO comes again. Alternatively, you can check the website and contact the BLO by phone.
Why are BLOs giving two enumeration forms?
Yes, two enumeration forms are given. After filling them out, one is taken back by the BLO, and the other is left with the voter concerned as an acknowledgment receipt.
What if the name or other details on the form given by the BLO are wrong?
You should write the correct details on the form and submit it. The authorities will verify and correct.
What happens if I fill out the enumeration form but keep it with the voter instead of returning it to the BLO?
BLOs will first inquire about voters who do not return the forms. If the form is still not submitted, such voters may be placed under categories like absent, deceased, migrated elsewhere, or holding multiple cards. Their names may then be left out of the draft voter list.
If details are entered incorrectly in the enumeration form, will another form be issued?
Yes. If the form is filled out completely wrong, torn, or otherwise unusable, the BLO can provide a replacement depending on the need.
Will the new form carry the same QR code?
The QR code printed on enumeration forms helps identify each document. Officials are likely to provide a replacement form linked to the relevant QR code.
What if I realize I made a mistake in the form after submitting it to the BLO?
You should inform the concerned BLO as quickly as possible. If the form is still under verification, follow the procedure suggested by the officials to make the required corrections.
Can I strike out wrong entries and rewrite them on the same form?
Minor corrections may be made as advised by the BLO. But if important details are entered incorrectly, it is better to use a fresh form.
Is it mandatory to provide an Aadhaar number while submitting the enumeration form?
No. It is not compulsory. The applicant may provide it only if they wish to do so voluntarily.
If the photo on my enumeration form is wrong. What should I do?
If all the other details are correct but the photo is wrong, paste a recent photograph in the space provided on the form and submit it.
If I have finished filling out the enumeration forms, when will the BLO come?
As per ECI instructions, the BLO must visit each house at least three times. Filled forms will be collected by July 24.
I already submitted the enumeration form to the BLO, but now my address has changed. What should I do?
After the draft voter list is published on July 31, there will be an opportunity to request address changes. Form 8 must be used for this. It will be examined during the claims and objections period, and the address change will appear in the final voters’ list.
Can the BLO remove my name at their own discretion?
No. The BLO only collects information. The final decision is taken by the competent authority, as per the ECI rules.
In my family, I was given an enumeration form, but they said another BLO would give forms to the rest of my family members. Why?
Your polling booth may be different from that of your family members.
I have Aadhaar, PAN, ration card, passport, and driving licence, but my name is not on the voter list. Do I have voting rights or not?
No. To exercise the right to vote, your name must be included in the voter list.
What about people working abroad or in other states?
If a voter from the family is working elsewhere, the enumeration form for that person will be given to the head of the household. The head of the family should fill out and sign the form on that voter’s behalf and give it to the BLO. If the voter is abroad, the head of the family may also fill in that person’s details and sign. Otherwise, voters living abroad or in other states may fill out the form online.
Why am I unable to fill out the enumeration form online?
Only voters whose names in the voter list match the names on their Aadhaar can fill out the form online. Others must complete it physically with the BLO’s help.
How can I check whether my name was on the 2002 SIR voter list?
You can verify voter details from the 2002 list through the state election department website https://voters.eci.gov.in or the ECI app ECINET using the “Search by Elector Details” option. BLOs may also have a hard copy of the 2002 SIR list, and you can ask them for the details.
What if my name was not on the voter list in 2002?
If your 2002 record cannot be found because you migrated or had not registered then, your vote will not be deleted for that reason alone. Instead, alternative documents proving you are a resident of your current area, such as an Aadhaar card, electricity bill, or passport, will be checked, and your present vote may be confirmed as genuine. Similarly, new voters will not have their names in the 2002 voter list. In such cases, their vote may be linked to the 2002 voter ID records of their father or mother.
If I voted in the 2024 Parliamentary elections, even so, my name is not in the 2002 SIR list. What should I do?
If a voter’s name is missing from the 2002 SIR list, it means they had not registered at that time or they had not yet become eligible to vote. Such persons should collect the voter details of their parents or grandparents and fill out the form.
What is the situation for newly married women?
A daughter-in-law who moves into her husband’s home from another area may have a changed surname. But in the SIR process, officials want to trace the woman’s family lineage. It must be clearly stated in which constituency she was listed during the 2002 SIR process. Married women may need to enter the voter list details of their parents.
Can a person have votes in different states?
Under Indian election laws, a person can have voting rights only in one constituency and in one place. A person may vote only once in an election. Voting in two places is treated as an offence. Having one’s name on voter lists in two states at the same time is illegal.
What should be done if a person has votes in two states?
You should keep the vote in the state where you currently live and apply to cancel the vote in the other state. For example, if someone is a resident of Andhra Pradesh but lives in Hyderabad for work and wants to register in Hyderabad, they must first cancel their Andhra Pradesh vote using Form 7. After that, they can newly register in Hyderabad based on their present address through Form 6 or the required application process. If they already have a vote in Telangana and only the address has changed, they must use Form 8 to update the address.
Will officials detect if I have votes in two states?
As part of the SIR process, voter details are examined comprehensively. Duplicate registrations are identified by checking Aadhaar, if voluntarily submitted, EPIC number, name, date of birth, and family details. Officials say a centralized system using AI technology is used for this scrutiny, and the filtering process begins after all forms are collected.
Will a duplicate vote be removed immediately once identified?
No. Even if a duplicate vote is detected, it will not be removed right away. First, the concerned voter will be issued a notice and asked for an explanation. If necessary, a field inquiry will be conducted through the BLO. A decision will then be taken according to legal procedure.
If I have votes in two states, which one will be removed?
Usually, the vote linked to the address where the voter currently resides is retained, and the one at the old address is deleted.
Will duplicate votes within the same state but in different constituencies be identified?
Officials say that if the same person has votes in two places within the state, they are identified using special software called “Demography Similar Entries.”
Can corrections still be made to the voter card after the SIR process is completed?
Yes. The Election Commission allows corrections through the regular process.
Does everyone have to register as a new voter under SIR?
No. SIR is meant to verify the details of voters who are already registered and make small corrections or updates if necessary.
Will I lose my vote if I do not have Aadhaar?
No. Merely not having Aadhaar does not take away voting rights.
My voter ID is lost. What should I do now?
You can apply for a duplicate voter card through Form 8.
Will I lose my vote if I shift my house?
No. Your vote will not be lost. If your vote is linked to the old address, you can still submit details from the new house as well. You should contact the BLO in this regard.
Will I be informed before my name is removed from the voter list?
The draft voter list will be published on July 31. Those whose names are missing from it will be issued notices. If proper documents are not submitted, then there is a possibility of deletion.
What should I do if I receive a notice?
You should submit the required documents by the date mentioned in the notice.
Can objections be raised against anyone’s name after the draft is published?
Yes, they can. However, false allegations are of no use. Any objection must be backed by evidence.
What if my name appears in the draft list but not in the final list?
That should not normally happen. If it does, you should approach the concerned officials.
If mapping is not done, will the name be absent from the voter list?
Whether voter mapping, meaning details in the enumeration forms, is done or not, the names of eligible voters will remain in the voter list. So, they will not be cancelled for that reason alone.
Then, when should documents be submitted?
After the draft voter list is published, documents need to be submitted only if the ERO issues a notice at that stage because the vote was not mapped or there is some issue with voter verification.
For the 2002 SIR list mapping, whose details should be entered under the relative’s category?
Father, mother, maternal grandfather, maternal grandmother, paternal grandfather, and paternal grandmother.
What happens to people whose own names or relatives’ names are not found in the 2002 list?
Those whose own names or relatives’ names are not found in the 2002 list will be asked to submit documents at a later stage.
What documents must be submitted as proof, depending on age?
The Election Commission has clarified that those born before July 1, 1987, in India may need to show any document confirming their date and place of birth. Those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must submit birth date documents for themselves as well as for either their father or mother. Those born after December 2, 2004, must provide their own documents along with documents of both father and mother. Acceptable documents include birth certificate, passport, Class 10 certificate, permanent residence certificate, caste certificate, government employee or pensioner ID cards, and land allotment papers.
If my name is not on the final SIR list, will I be unable to vote in elections?
You can vote only if your name appears in the final list to be published on October 1. That is why the SIR process should not be neglected.
Do all voters in the house need to be present when the BLO visits?
No. All voters in the household don’t need to be present when the BLO comes. The BLO can hand over enumeration forms to any adult member of the family. The filled forms may also be returned through that member.
What documents are required during the SIR enumeration stage?
Voters do not need to submit any documents during the enumeration stage. Even mentioning Aadhaar details in the physical stage is optional.
Married women may need to enter the voter list details of their parents.
Those who are 18 years old must fill out Form 6 given by the BLO along with the declaration form for voter registration. These forms will be examined by the Assembly constituency Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) during the claims and objections period from July 31 to August 30. If everything is in order, the new voter’s details will appear in the final list.
What documents are needed to correct mistakes in the voter list?
If there is a spelling mistake in the voter’s name or a change in surname, documents such as Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport, driving licence, or Class 10 memo should be submitted. If there is a discrepancy in age or date of birth, documents like a birth certificate, SSC marks memo, Aadhaar card, passport, or government-issued age proof must be given. If there are mistakes in parents’ names or family relationships, the family ration card, birth certificate, Aadhaar cards of family members, voter ID cards of family members, and school records should be submitted. Even if age gaps within the family appear illogical, such as a son shown to be older than the father, a grandson older than the grandfather, or an unusually small age difference between parents and children, family-related proof documents may be submitted to correct the details.
