Telangana CEO Says EPIC Number Not Mandatory for Graduates’ Voter Enrolment

Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudharsan Reddy has directed officials not to reject graduates’ constituency enrolment applications solely for missing EPIC numbers. Applicants must submit Form-18 with supporting documents by November 6, ahead of draft rolls scheduled for November 25

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudharsan Reddy has directed officials not to insist on the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number for enrolment in the Graduates’ Constituencies.

In a memo issued on Monday, Sudharsan Reddy instructed officials not to reject applications in Form-18 solely because applicants had not provided their EPIC numbers.

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Elections to the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates’ Constituencies are due in March 2027. Following directions from the Election Commission of India, the Telangana CEO has commenced enrolment, with November 1, 2026, as the qualifying date.

Applications can be submitted online through the Chief Electoral Officer’s website, https://ceotelangana.nic.in. Alternatively, applicants can submit Form-18, along with the required documents and certificates, in person to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO), designated officer or additional designated officer. Applications can also be sent by post to the ERO, AERO or designated officer. The deadline for receipt of Form-18 applications is November 6.

As the electoral rolls for the Graduates’ Constituencies are being prepared afresh, all eligible persons, including those whose names appear on the existing rolls, must submit fresh applications using the modified Form-18.

Every application must be accompanied by authenticated copies of the required documents and certificates. Merely referring to an entry in an existing electoral roll will not be sufficient to establish a person’s eligibility for enrolment.

The draft electoral rolls will be published on November 25. Claims and objections can be filed from November 25 to December 10 and will be disposed of by December 25. Publication of the final electoral rolls is scheduled for December 30.