Telangana SIR likely to be extended by three weeks

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Telangana is likely to be extended by three weeks, with the final roll expected in the last week of November. The State government had sought an extension from the Election Commission of India.

Hyderabad: The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is likely to be extended by a minimum of three weeks in the State. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is shortly expected to issue an order extending the deadline.

According to Telangana Chief Electoral Office sources, the State government recently wrote to the ECI seeking an extension of the SIR process. “The ECI sought a response from us and we gave our feedback. Mostly, the SIR process will be extended by three weeks, with final electoral roll publication scheduled for the last week of November,” sources said.

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As per the current schedule, claims and objections on the draft electoral roll can be filed up to September 16, while the notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will continue up to October 15. The final electoral roll publication is scheduled for October 19.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had said a one-month window for claims and objections would not suffice and sought an extension by four weeks. In addition, he sought three to four weeks for each elector who was served a notice to reply and produce papers.

Meanwhile, Telangana CEO C Sudarshan Reddy directed officials to speed up the process of hearing and disposing of notices issued as part of the SIR of electoral rolls, with the aim of ensuring an accurate voter list.

Sudarshan Reddy, along with Additional Chief Electoral Officer Vasam Venkateshwar Reddy and Medchal district collector M Manu Choudary, inspected the hearings conducted in Narsampally of Keesara Mandal, Munirabad of Medchal Mandal, and Dommara Pochampally of Dundigal Mandal on Thursday.

He instructed officials to properly verify records and applications related to voters who have not been mapped and those falling under the categories of discrepancies (anomalies) in voter cards. He also directed them to examine, as per the rules, the details of voters who received notices and appeared for the hearings, and to take further action only after verifying the required supporting documents.